Dance With Me
by Tennyo no Ame
Summary: It's Tolo time at Kagome's school! (that dance where the girls ask the guys!) Kagome's positive that she wants to go, but with who? And when she asks him, will he accept? Will Kagome get the chance to dance with the one who holds her affection? COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Kagome Higurashi stood in front of the hot pink flyer with a curious expression. Her wide, brown eyes took in every word that lay before her.  
  
Tolo!  
Saturday  
February 7, 2004  
8:00 – 11:00 p.m.  
Girls ask the guys, so you can share it with your special someone!  
  
The young girl smiled and giggled to herself before snatching the handout and bounding down the hall to the front entrance of her school. The instant Kagome pushed the heavy doors open, she was greeted by a crisp winter breeze. She shivered and pulled out her scarf, wrapping it loosely around her neck.  
  
Kagome looked around at the dismal scenery as she walked home. The cherry blossom trees were bare and dead. Grey clouds hovered overhead with the promise of snow. The normally chatty birds had quieted down, leaving the area silent. Even with the would-be depressing setting, the young schoolgirl couldn't help but smile at the thought of a school dance.  
  
But who will I ask? Kagome thought. She had seen the advertisement for the dance only moments ago, but, already, the question racked her brain. Kagome looked to the sky and tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully. Maybe Hojo? Kagome blushed at the thought. She was sure that her friends would approve of that matching.  
  
But maybe... someone else...? A certain hanyou came to mind: One with glittering amber eyes and long, silver hair...  
  
Kagome shook her head viciously, as if trying to shake out the thought. She was almost positive that that would never happen... The key word being almost. Kagome's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red.  
  
"I'm home!" Kagome called as she stepped through the door of her home. Kagome listened attentively for her mother's reply as she slipped off her shoes. Nothing. There seemed to be some kind of commotion going on in the kitchen though. Kagome sniffed the air, picking up the slightest hint of chocolate chip cookies. She dropped her backpack next to the staircase and walked towards the kitchen cautiously.  
  
Kagome's jaw dropped at the image in front of her. Apparently, her mom was teaching someone how to bake... but not just any random someone  
  
"Inuyasha?!" she cried, "what are you doing here?!"  
  
The hanyou turned with a puzzled look on his face. He was a mess. Cookie dough stuck to the tip of his left ear, and there was flour all over his face. If Kagome hadn't been so surprised by his appearance in her kitchen, she would have giggled at how cute he looked.  
  
Inuyasha smiled. "Making cookies!" he replied simply.  
  
Kagome face-faulted. "Why?" she asked with a blank look on her face.  
  
Inuyasha plucked the cookie dough from his ear and licked it from his fingers. "Well, I thought you were coming back yesterday," he said, matching her impatience, "but since you didn't show, I decided to come and get you."  
  
"And he was a great help with the baking!" Kagome's mom chimed in happily, seeming to materialize out of nowhere.  
  
Kagome sighed. Of course. That was the only reason that he ever came over to her time.  
  
"Fine, I'll get my bag," Kagome said, lacking all enthusiasm. She marched up the stairs, the hanyou fallowing closely behind.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Once again, for about the millionth time, Inuyasha was amazed by the sheer comfort of Kagome's room. He stepped inside and was overwhelmed by the rush of Kagome's sweet scent. It filled his nose, leaving him in a sense of ecstasy.  
  
Kagome unzipped her backpack and pulled out some of her books.  
  
"Hm, math? History? I don't have any tests on those this week," she muttered to herself, pulling out more books and papers. One brightly colored paper caught Inuyasha's attention. He snatched it quickly and began reading, while Kagome stuffed extra clothes in her bag.  
  
"Toe-low?" he mumbled with a bewildered expression.  
  
Kagome whirled around, her embarrassment showing through her cheeks. "Give that back!" she cried shrilly.  
  
Inuyasha grinned evilly and held the paper above his head. Kagome jumped, trying to snatch it away from him. The hanyou just raised his arm higher and laughed at her pitiful attempts.  
  
Kagome decided to give one final endeavor at retrieving her flyer. She jumped up and hooked her right arm around Inuyasha's neck, while reaching out her left one for the pink paper. She grasped the paper tightly in her hand and grinned triumphantly. However, something happened that she hadn't planned. Both she and Inuyasha fell backwards onto her bed.  
  
Kagome realized that not only was she lying on top of the hanyou, but she was also staring directly into his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, unblinking. After the moment had passed, Kagome decided that it was time to freak out and jump off of the hanyou. And she did just that. Kagome turned away from Inuyasha, trying to hide her red cheeks.  
Inuyasha sat up abruptly and felt his cheeks grow warm.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Kagome put her hands to her cheeks. They were still warm. Dammit, cool down! She commanded. No such luck. Apparently cheeks didn't obey you as well as, say, a dog or little sibling would.  
  
Suddenly, Kagome felt Inuyasha's rough hand on her shoulder. She shot upright as a chill went up and down her spine.  
  
"Kagome," came Inuyasha's nonchalant voice, "We should get going."  
  
Kagome turned to see that Inuyasha had grabbed her backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He walked past her, to the window.  
  
Inuyasha stood by the windowsill and turned. His hair was blown away from his face, revealing a slight smile. "Coming?" he asked, holding out his hand, his smile turning to a grin.  
  
Kagome's dumfounded expression was instantly replaced with a smile. Her eyes glittered with contentment as she took the hanyou's hand and stepped out onto the tree with him.  
  
At that moment –that very instant- a wild thought crossed Kagome's mind.  
  
Maybe asking Inuyasha to Tolo wasn't such a crazy idea, she thought as she smiled into the wind, you never know...  
  
~*~  
  
Author's note: so whatdya think?? Good enough to be by me? ^^;; hehe, jk... I'm actually going to do more chapters on this one! Now's the time that you all jump up out of your chair screaming "OH MY GOD I'M SO HAPPY I COULD KILL A MIME!" then you realize that you've been sitting in the same position for over an hour, so your back cracks, and you find yourself paralyzed. That's the kind of positive effect that my stories have on you! ^_^ just messing. I'm too bored and spazzy for my own good. Well, R and R, pleasies! Thankies! 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: w00t, I just finished with first chapter, but I'm bored, so what the hell! Might as well start with the second chapter while I'm still feeling motivated. Here it goes. ^^  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome climbed up the side of the old well, placing her feet carefully so she wouldn't fall. People in the feudal era seemed to really overlook the importance of ladders...  
  
Just as Kagome had started this new train of thought, she felt two strong, rough hands on hers'. The hands, which belonged to the hanyou, Inuyasha, pulled her up and then set her on the ground outside of the well.  
  
"Thanks," she mumbled, pulling her skirt straight.  
  
The hanyou was about to say 'You're welcome' but a familiar voice called to them before he could get a word out. Inuyasha turned just in time to see a little kitsune running towards them.  
  
"Kagome!" Shippou cried, running right into the schoolgirl's arms.  
  
"Oi, Shippou!" Kagome said with glee, hugging the little fox.  
  
Just moments after Shippou had appeared, Sango arrived at the well, followed closely by Miroku and Kirara. Miroku sneezed.  
  
"Damn you, winter..." he muttered, and then turned his attention to Kagome, "Oi, Kagome. You wouldn't happen to have any of that medicine from your world, would you?"  
  
Kagome smiled at the monk. "Yeah, I've got some cold medicine in my bag," she said nodding to Inuyasha who still held her backpack.  
  
The monk smiled and clapped his hands together happily. "Let's get back to the village then," he said.  
  
Kagome nodded and walked up to Sango, who was now holding Kirara in her arms. Kirara nestled her face into her tail like a normal cat would, and fell fast asleep.  
  
Sango greeted Kagome in her usual friendly manner, but something seemed different, like she was holding something back. Is she mad at Miroku again? Kagome wondered. That was normally the cause for Sango's weird behavior. Kagome waved off the thought. Same old stuff. Nothing to worry about.  
  
The two friends walked in silence as snow started to fall from the sky. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou followed after them, contemplating something very serious.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
"Toe-low?" Miroku asked, perplexed.  
  
"You don't know what it is?" Inuyasha asked, "you, Shippou?"  
  
Shippou shook his head and shuffled his feet in the snow.  
  
"Perhaps it's some kind of womanly code from Kagome's world?" Miroku suggested.  
  
"Maybe," Inuyasha said, not convinced, "Anyway, Kagome didn't want me to see it."  
  
"Maybe we should do some detective work?" Shippou proposed, a devious grin spreading across his face.  
  
Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged looks, and nodded. They both grinned.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
The group of friends soon came to Kaede's hut. Kaede had been left the previous day to fight off a youkai that had threatened a nearby town, and wasn't expected to be back for several days. That being the case, the gang had the hut to themselves. Inuyasha dropped Kagome's knapsack and laid down next to the fire pit.  
  
Kagome sat next to him and grabbed her pack, searching for the cold medicine for Miroku. She was sure that she had packed some Tylenol in here somewhere... aha! The little bottle lay at the bottom of her bag. Kagome pulled it out and dumped out two small pills into her palm.  
  
"Here you go Miroku," she said handing them to the monk as he sat down across from her.  
  
"Thank you, Kagome-Chan," he said gratefully. He put the two pills on his tongue and then downed them with some green tea.  
  
"Anytime, Miroku," Kagome replied, with a cheerful smile.  
  
Kagome looked upon her friends fondly. These were the people that she had spent so much time with over the past months; the people that she had been through so much with; the people that she always wanted to remain close to-  
  
Kagome was abruptly awakened from her dreamy state when she realized that Sango had said something.  
  
"I'm sorry, what?" she asked sheepishly.  
  
"I asked if you thought we should get dinner started," Sango replied, "It's getting dark."  
  
Kagome glanced outside. The clouds had been hanging overhead all day, so it had been fairly dark all day. It didn't seem any darker. Nonetheless, Kagome nodded and followed her friend outside.  
  
Sango and Kagome walked to the smokehouse where all of the fish was stored. They opened the door to the small shack carefully, making sure that no wild animals or youkai had decided to get dinner at the same time they had.  
  
Even after selecting the fish to have for dinner, Sango and Kagome had barely exchanged two words. Kagome decided to break the silence.  
  
"Sango, what's up?" Kagome asked in a worried tone.  
  
Sango turned to her friend, and tried to muster the best smile she could, but to no avail. Kagome could see right through her. Something's wrong, Kagome thought. Her eyebrows creased in concern.  
  
"It's..." Sango started hesitantly, "It's Miroku."  
  
"Miroku?" Kagome repeated thoughtfully.  
  
"Mhm," Sango murmured, the slightest ghost of a smile appearing on her face, "I feel strange when I'm around him. Like when we're talking, I feel so excited about it. And when he's flirting with another woman, I'm not sure whether or not to just wave it off as his normal behavior, or to be sad and hurt and angry. It's just... a little confusing." She turned and smiled at Kagome. Tears had started to form in her eyes.  
  
Kagome nodded sympathetically. She'd often felt the same way. That stupid, torturous state where you aren't sure if you love someone or not: It was enough to drive any woman mad. Her thoughts traveled back to Inuyasha, but she shook away the thought of him before she got in too deep to recover. She often had to do that.  
  
"I'm sorry I can't be a bigger help, but," Kagome began, "Maybe you should tell Miroku how you feel. You know, when you're more sure of your feelings."  
  
Sango nodded and wiped away her tears with her freehand. Kagome hugged her, wishing that she could help, but that would be like the blind leading the blind, wouldn't it?  
  
~*~  
  
ok, not the best chapter. And excuse me if that's an understatement... I might edit it or redo and re-post it. It's late, and I'm tired, and I just wanted to finish it up so I could sleep with a clear conscience. Of course that probably won't happen anyway because I still haven't worked on my book. -.-;; ergh. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. And it's so conveniently a day away! 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: ok, the last chapter wasn't too great by my standards, but oh well, I'm leaving it. Now onto the third! ^_^V  
  
~*~  
  
Back at Kaede's hut, Inuyasha and the others were trying to figure out how to proceed with their sleuthing plan.  
  
"Can we do it, now?" Inuyasha asked anxiously, staring at Kagome's backpack.  
  
Just then, Kagome and Sango walked through the doorway, holding five pieces of salmon in their baskets.  
  
Guess not... Inuyasha thought to himself. He grabbed a piece of fish and marched out to his tree. Snow still fell heavily from the sky, covering Inuyasha from head to toe. He shook his head violently, trying to shake off the snow.  
  
The hanyou reached his tree and looked up. The tall tree was covered in snow. The heavy substance weighted down its branches. Inuyasha leaped and landed on his favorite branch; the one that was wide enough for him to sit on, and strong enough to support his weight.  
  
Inuyasha bit off a piece of fish and chewed it, all the while thinking to himself. He pulled a piece of brightly colored paper out of his hakama and studied it closely.  
  
Tolo? He had never heard of such a thing. Maybe Miroku was right about it being some kind of code. Doubtful. It said something about a dance on the paper... Inuyasha leaned forward, laying on his stomach, and rested his head on his hand. He sighed and took another bite of his salmon.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Kagome looked at Sango pensively. She still wore a lost and confused expression. That of a woman in love, Kagome thought and smiled slightly, her gaze softening. She looked over at Miroku, and her gaze turned deadly. The monk was sitting next to the fire, smiling and chomping on his fish happily, oblivious to the pain that he was causing Sango.  
  
Kagome sighed and took a bite of her salmon. Should she interfere? Or was it better to let these kinds of things work themselves out? The girl swallowed her fish and sighed again.  
  
Kagome stood up abruptly and straightened out her skirt. "I think Shippou and I will go for a walk," she said, hinting at the kitsune to follow her. He complied, and trotted out after her, leaving Miroku and Sango alone in the hut.  
  
She smiled. Maybe that was all they needed to work it all out: just some alone time. Kagome's smile widened.  
  
"Where are we going, Kagome?" Shippou asked, looking up at the girl.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "What do you say we go bug Inuyasha a bit?" she asked with a devious little smile.  
  
Shippou nodded, matching her devious smile with his. It was never hard to annoy Inuyasha, but it sure was fun.  
  
The two walked in the snow, every once and a while kicking it up just to see it fall back down. They came to Inuyasha's tree and peered up at him. He was lying down on his branch, chomping noisily on his fish. But something else caught Kagome's attention: a little pink piece of paper.  
  
How did he get that?! Kagome wondered. She trudged up to the tree.  
  
"Inuyasha!" she called, staring up at him.  
  
The hanyou looked down with curiosity. His curiosity was almost instantly replaced with dread when he saw Kagome's mouth began to take the shape of a horrible word... The one and only word that he had ever feared...  
  
"N-no, Kagome, w-wait!" he stammered, but it was too late.  
  
"Osuwari!" Kagome cried.  
  
Gravity seemed to increase on Inuyasha. He fell from his branch and hit the ground with a force that could have killed an average human. But not a hanyou, luckily.  
  
Inuyasha looked up and glared at Kagome angrily, "What was that for?" he snarled.  
  
Kagome kneeled down and picked up the piece of paper than had landed on Inuyasha's head. She held it up for him to see.  
  
"You know, in my time, stealing is illegal," she said coldly, returning the hanyou's glare. She turned around and walked back towards the village.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Inuyasha growled at Kagome's retreating back. He tapped his claws on the ground wondering what he should do. He grunted. Fine! Let her get all mad and aggravated. It's not like it affects me in anyway. Inuyasha snorted.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
How dare he? Kagome thought, fuming. She stomped her foot on the ground and her hands curled into fists at her sides. She wasn't sure if she should feel embarrassed or angry. Inuyasha had taken something right out of her possession. That was stealing. Kagome's blew some air through her lips, trying to calm herself. Maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing. So Inuyasha had taken some flyer for a dance, big deal! That was the problem though. It seemed personal and embarrassing, so it was a big deal.  
  
Kagome blew another hot stream of air through her lips. She hated being wrong, but Inuyasha deserved an apology, or at least an explanation. The schoolgirl sighed and dropped her shoulders. She pivoted on her the ball of her foot and started walking in Inuyasha's direction.  
  
When she reached his tree, he was still lying in the spot where he had fallen. Kagome sighed again and padded up to him. She dropped down in front of him, kneeling. The hanyou looked up with a baleful stare.  
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome started, "I think it's time for an apology."  
  
"No way, I'm not apologizing for anything!" he shouted defensively, jumping up onto his haunches.  
  
Kagome gave him a deadpan look. "Not you, baka, I'm saying that I need to apologize to you!" she yelled, sending Inuyasha falling back onto the ground. Kagome let out yet another stream of hot air. Be patient with him, she told herself.  
  
Inuyasha blinked a couple of times, trying to register what she had just said.  
  
"I'm sorry for overreacting about the flyer," she said matter-of-factly, holding up the piece of paper, "I shouldn't have made such a big deal out of such a small thing."  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Inuyasha gawked at Kagome. Had she just... apologized? Maybe he had been daydreaming. Maybe it was an illusion. Inuyasha shook his head vigorously and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Kagome was still sitting in front of him.  
  
"Um, well..." Inuyasha mumbled, his ears flattened against his head, "I'm sorry, too. I mean, for taking the paper."  
  
Kagome smiled slightly. "Forgiven," she said simply.  
  
The two sat in silence for a moment. The sun had long gone down, and the area was plunged into the black oblivion that was night. Inuyasha decided to break the silence.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
"What is Tolo, anyway?" the hanyou asked curiously.  
  
"It's umm," she thought of how to put it to the hanyou, "It's a dance. Er, a big get-together, gathering thing-" oh, Kagome, you are one smooth operator of words, she told her self sadistically. "-And you go there to dance and be with friends. And for this one, the girls invite the boys."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, but Kagome could tell that he was confused. "It's really nothing big," she said, so the half-demon wouldn't feel bad about being confused, "Just a stupid school tradition."  
  
Inuyasha nodded again. "Can I go?" he asked unpretentiously.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened slightly at the thought. She could see it now: Her friends asking suspiciously about the boy with white hair and dog-ears; Herself trying to teach the hanyou to dance. She giggled.  
  
"Maybe," she said with a wink, "to go you need to be asked by a girl."  
  
"Ask me!" Inuyasha suggested innocently.  
  
He didn't seem to understand the concept of girls asking the boys to a dance. You were supposed to ask a boy that you liked; one that you liked as more than a friend.  
  
Kagome blushed slightly. "We'll see," she said with a smile.  
  
Kagome looked up at the sky. The clouds had started to clear out, revealing a crisp purple sky with twinkling stars. Kagome looked over to see that Inuyasha was also staring at the sky, a hopeful smile flickering around his lips.  
  
Kagome turned her attention back to the sky. A shooting star shot across the black abyss.  
  
She smiled. Make a wish...  
  
~*~  
  
ok, much better chapter, don't you think? Hehe. R & R, please! Thanks Lots! ^_^V 


	4. Chapter 4

Rays of sunshine crept through the gaps between the clouds, the enchanting twilight approaching. The sweet scent of bark filled Kagome's nose.  
  
The young girl opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. She was outside, next to Inuyasha's tree. She looked behind her to see the hanyou.  
  
Inuyasha was lying on the ground, just yards from Kagome. His soft, even breathing told her that he was still asleep. His silvery hair was sprawled out on the ground, a large amount of bark and grass tangled in it. Kagome smiled as the hanyou's dog-ears twitched. He was always so adorable when he was asleep...  
  
Kagome snapped herself out of the thought. Why was she outside, anyway? Kagome ran her long delicate fingers through her hair, trying to remember the previous night. Oh yeah, she remembered, we were just sitting out here and looking at the stars... I must've fallen asleep.  
  
Kagome stole another glance at Inuyasha. His face was soft and relaxed. A smile flickered across his lips.  
  
"Kagome..." came Inuyasha's sleepy voice.  
  
Kagome bolted upright and stared at the hanyou. She inched closer to him, trying to make out his mumbled words.  
  
"Kagome," he said again, "Osuwari."  
  
Kagome's shoulders dropped. The baka. She should've known.  
  
Kagome sighed and laid down on the damp ground. Most of the snow seemed to have melted, but a chill still hung in the air. Kagome shivered and rubbed her arms. This was definitely not the right time to be wearing a skirt.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Inuyasha smiled sleepily. What a great dream this was turning out to be! He had beaten Naraku, become a full demon, and then told Kagome to 'sit.' He cackled evilly in his sleep.  
  
A vibration in the ground brought him back to the real world. He opened his eyes lazily to see Kagome kneeling next to him. He blinked a couple of times. The hanyou yawned and sat up.  
  
"Morning," came Kagome's sweet, but dazed, voice. She offered the hanyou a smile.  
  
Inuyasha yawned in response. "Why didn't you wait until sunrise to wake me up, Kagome?" he asked in an annoyed tone.  
  
"But the sun's been up for a while now," the girl responded in defense. She motioned towards the clouds.  
  
Inuyasha looked to the sky. Sunlight was breaking through the clouds, filling the forested area with rays of light.  
  
He noticed that Kagome was shivering. Baka, he told himself, you should have taken her back to the village last night. Inuyasha pulled off his yukata and handed it to Kagome.  
  
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's offer. She smiled gratefully and took the yukata, wrapping it around herself. "Arigato, Inuyasha," she said, still smiling.  
  
Inuyasha blushed and averted his eyes. "It's no big deal," he said, "After all, if you get sick, then we won't be able to find any jewel shards."  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Kagome smiled at the half-demon. She knew that he was just covering up for his generosity. After all, he never wanted to admit that he had a soft side. Kagome stood up, pulling the yukata tightly around her.  
  
"We should get back to the village, Inuyasha," she said, "Shippou and the others are probably wondering where we are."  
  
Inuyasha nodded and got into a crouch. "It'll be faster if we run."  
  
Kagome nodded and climbed onto Inuyasha's back. She grasped his shoulders firmly and in no time they were off, running through the forest.  
  
The forest scenery whipped by them, turning into a blur of green and brown. Kagome buried her head in the Hanyou's hair, as she held onto his shoulders. Rides upon Inuyasha's back were always the same: rough and fast.  
  
Before she knew it, Inuyasha had jerked to a stop. He kneeled down, giving Kagome better access to the ground. She hopped off of the hanyou and flattened out her green skirt. The two walked into Kaede's hut, expecting a warm welcome from their friends.  
  
They didn't even get that.  
  
Both Inuyasha and Kagome gawked at what they saw. It wasn't a big surprise that Shippou had nestled up in on Kagome's knapsack, but Sango and Miroku were a different story. Miroku was sitting with his back against the wall, fast asleep. Sango, however, was leaning up against Miroku. Her cheeks were a soft, rosy hue, and her lips had delicately curved into a smile.  
  
Kagome blushed, wondering if it was right to stand there and stare at such a personal moment. She tiptoed into the hut and pulled her backpack out from under Shippou, placing the little fox demon gently on the floor. He curled up on the wooden floor and was fast asleep in no time at all.  
  
Kagome walked towards the door, past Inuyasha who was now staring blankly at Sango and the monk.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed, "Come on!"  
  
Inuyasha shook his head vigorously and blushed. He marched after Kagome. Neither of them said a word.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
"WHAT?!" Kagome cried. She stared at the note in her hands. Inuyasha's ears perked up in curiosity. He strode over to Kagome and read over her shoulder.  
  
I forgot to tell you, Kagome:  
  
We have a test in History tomorrow. It's about mythology's role in the  
feudal era or some such.  
Hope to see you tomorrow!  
  
-Eri  
  
Kagome rolled the little slip of paper into a ball and threw it into her backpack. She zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder as she trudged towards the well.  
  
Inuyasha stared at her as she walked off. Wait a minute... he thought, scowling. The hanyou ran towards Kagome. After two bounds he was standing in front of her with his hands on his waist.  
  
"Where are you going? You just got here!" he shouted, "And we have some jewel shards to find!"  
  
Kagome looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I know, but I really need to take this test!" she gave him a pathetic look, "You don't want me to fail my class, do you?"  
  
Inuyasha growled softly. "Fine, just be back as soon as you can, or I'll come and get you," he mumbled.  
  
Kagome smiled and clasped her hands together. "Thanks, Inuyasha!" she cried, "I'll be back soon, I promise!"  
  
Inuyasha nodded, but he wasn't convinced. He knew that he would end up having to go to Kagome's world and picking her up again. That had been the routine for the past few weeks. Inuyasha sighed and padded off to his tree. He was surprised by the fact that sulking in a tree seemed to never get old.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Kagome ran through the school doors just as the bell rang. A sweat drop slid down the side of her face, and then dropped form her chin. The young girl sprinted down the hall to her first class. She threw the door open.  
  
"Sorry I'm late!" she panted, bowing her apology to the teacher.  
  
Kagome looked up to see all of her classmates staring at her. She returned the look, blinking.  
  
"Why Higurashi, it's nice of you to finally join us," Kagome's teacher said sarcastically, "Take your seat."  
  
Kagome blew out a stream of hot air and sat down at her desk. "Just so you know," came Eri's voice from behind her, "You have a twig in your hair."  
  
Kagome's eyes widened in horror. She quickly yanked the twig out of her hair, simultaneously pulling out a few strands of her black hair.  
  
"Ow!" Kagome yelled, "Dammit!" She rubbed her head gingerly.  
  
Kagome realized that the teacher had stopped talking. She looked up to see that all of her classmates were staring at her.  
  
"Gomen!" she said quickly, "bowing her head repeatedly."  
  
The teacher returned to lecturing and motioning to the board. At that moment, Kagome realized that she had no idea about any of the stuff that he was talking about. She sighed and dropped her head on her desk. Compared to the Japanese school system, fighting demons in the Feudal Era seemed like a walk in the park.  
  
-*-*-*-  
  
Kagome marched out of her school solemnly. The test had been horrible. Even with all of the real-life experience that she was getting, she still had no idea how to answer any of the questions. She'd be lucky if she managed to get a D+. Kagome sighed and dropped her shoulders.  
  
"Higurashi?" came an innocent voice.  
  
Kagome looked up to see Hojo's smiling face. Oh, Hojo, why are you always so goddamned happy? She wondered darkly. "Hi Hojo-Kun," she said, trying to match his perky smile.  
  
"I hope you're feeling ok," he said sweetly, rocking on the balls of his feet, "pneumonia can be tough, especially in the winter."  
  
Oh is that what I got now? Kagome thought, at least Gramps's lies are getting less farfetched.  
  
"-and I bet your case of rabies didn't make it any better," he added.  
  
Kagome face-faulted. Okay, maybe not, she thought. She nodded and waved, as she started to walk past Hojo.  
  
"Wait, Higurashi," he said quietly.  
  
Kagome looked up to see what Hojo wanted, and met his gaze. His face was serious. "Ano, Higurashi..." he started, and looked down at his feet, "I know the girls are supposed to ask the guys, but..."  
  
Kagome's heart skipped a beat.  
  
Hojo looked up, staring directly into Kagome's eyes. "Will you go to Tolo with me?"  
  
~*~  
  
Dun, dun, dun, the plot thickens! So, will Kagome say yes? Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming soon! ^_^V 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: So, did I keep you in suspense long enough?  Eh, probably not, but oh well.

Let's get on with it!

~*~

            Kagome gaped at Hojo, unsure of what to say.  Did he just ask me to Tolo?  The same confused question kept running through her mind.  Say, something, she told herself.  But, what do I say? She asked silently.  An image of Inuyasha popped into her head.  She blinked it away, wondering why it had been there in the first place.

"Umm, Hojo-Kun…" the schoolgirl stammered, "I-I…"

"Yes, Higurashi?" the boy said, expectantly, leaning closer to Kagome.

"I…" she stammered again, "I can't.  Gomen."  Kagome averted her eyes from his.

"What?" Hojo asked, stunned, "why not?"

"Uh…um," Kagome glanced at the clock outside of her school.  It was 3:45.  "Ah!  I gotta go!" she shouted and took off down the road, leaving Hojo alone in his stupor.  "Gomen, Hojo-Kun!" she called back.

            Kagome ran down the street towards her home, desperately trying to ignore Hojo's calls behind her.  She closed her eyes, and ran faster.  Just run, Kagome, run, she told herself silently.

            Kagome would have been doing just fine in her dart home, but she hadn't been paying attention to the road in front of her.  The girl slammed into something. Hard.  Kagome fell back onto the street on her back.  She quickly sat up to straighten out her skirt and check to see what she had run into.

            A pair of gold eyes stared back.

"INUYASHA!" the schoolgirl screamed, "What are you doing? Someone might see you!"

"Well, if we catch anyone's attention," the hanyou started, "It'll probably be from your screaming, baka."  He pulled Kagome off of the ground.

"Why were you running so fast, anyways?" he asked skeptically, "And with your eyes closed."

Kagome blushed.  "It's nothing…" she looked up to see that Inuyasha was wearing one of Souta's hats.  Oh good, she thought, so he wasn't completely exposed.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's backpack.  "Well, let's go," he said, turning on his foot and walking towards Kagome's house.  Kagome followed closely behind him.

            I just said no to Hojo, she recalled grimly, what in God's name brought me to do that?  Kagome's cheeks flushed as she remembered.  She had said no to Hojo, the single best-looking guy in her grade, because she had envisioned someone else with her at the dance.  Someone with silver hair and golden eyes…

-*-*-*-

            The instant that Inuyasha reached the top of the stairs, he braced himself, ready to enter Kagome's sweet-smelling room.  He stepped inside and hummed contently.  The room was clean, virtually spotless, but Kagome's scent still hung in the air.

            Kagome dropped her knapsack on the desk and started pulling things out, and putting new things in their place.  She muttered to herself, trying to decide which books to take, and which ones to leave for later studying.  When dealing with school and the Feudal Era, there was one thing that you had to rely on:

Cramming.

            Inuyasha walked over to Kagome's bed and sat cross-legged.  Upon sitting, he saw something poke out form under the covers.  He reached his clawed hand out and gingerly removed a neko plushie from the blanket.  He stared at it, transfixed by it's worn and torn appearance.

"What is it, Kagome?" he asked curiously, examining the stuffed animal from all possible angles.

Kagome giggled.  "It's a stu-" Kagome began, but thought of a better word to use, "-plushie.  I've had it since I was five."

Inuyasha sniffed it.  It had Kagome's scent all over it, just like everything else in the room.  But, this had a different version of Kagome's unique smell.  It wasn't the sweet, perfumed scent that Kagome now wore.  It was a deeper sweet, like candy.  The hanyou sniffed it again, taking in the wonderful aroma.

"Ready, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, slinging her pack over her shoulder.

Inuyasha stood up, dropping the neko plushie on the bed, and strode over to Kagome.  He took the backpack from her and tossed it over his shoulder.  "Yep," he replied, leading Kagome over to the windowsill.

-*-*-*-

Inuyasha leapt out of the well.  The clouds had completely gone from the sky, revealing the crisp evening sky.  Inuyasha turned around to help Kagome, who was struggling to climb up the side of the well.  The hanyou picked Kagome up by the back of her shirt and settled her on the ground.

"Arigato, Inuyasha," she said.

Inuyasha grunted and nodded, as was his usual response.  The two started walking to the village.

"Where are Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked, looking around the wooded area, "and, Shippou?  They normally come to greet us at the well."

"They went off to fight a youkai," Inuyasha explained, "Naraku's movements have been flushing out all of the youkai in the area."

Kagome nodded and picked up her pace, trying to keep up with Inuyasha's swift stride.  She looked to the sky and tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully.  Maybe this little trip will help Miroku and Sango along, she thought, smiling.

-*-*-*-

            Kagome wrinkled her nose as she stared confusedly into her science book.  A whimper of bewilderment escaped her lips as she tried to grasp the basic idea of the Space-Time Continuum.  Her eyebrows creased in concentration.  The schoolgirl glanced at the mathematical formulas at the bottom of the page.  What the…?  Letting out a cry of frustration, Kagome lifted her head to see Inuyasha staring at her with a bemused expression on his face.

"Can I help you?" she asked impatiently, dropping her shoulders.

Inuyasha shook his head.  "I'm just wondering why you do all of that when it makes you so stressed," he said sitting back with his legs crossed, "Why not just drop it?"

Kagome sighed.  She wasn't about to explain how her world worked.  Birth.  School.  Job.  Death.  As simple as the concept was she didn't think Inuyasha would understand.

"Because, I can't," she answered simply, looking back down at her book.

-*-*-*-

Inuyasha folded his and watched Kagome.  Her body was tense with concentration, but her eyes were pleading.  The hanyou hated seeing her like this; so confused and aggravated.  He growled softly and closed his eyes.

            When the hanyou opened his eyes again, it was dark outside.  The moonlight was glowing through the open window.  It fell on Kagome's face.

            Inuyasha looked at the schoolgirl.  She lay on her back on the other side of the fire pit, fast asleep.  The book that she had been studying so studiously lay open in the curve of her waist.  The girl's breath came slow and even, her chest rising and falling to the steady beat.  Inuyasha watched her sleep, feeling better now that she was at rest.

            The hanyou tucked his hands in his sleeves and bowed his head.  His silver hair fell around his face, and his golden eyes closed.

            Inuyasha fell asleep to the sound of Kagome's steady breathing, matching his breath with hers'.

-*-*-*-

            Kagome opened her eyes.  Sunlight was pouring in through the open window, shining on her face.  She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around the small hut.  Besides Kagome, the hut was empty.  But not for long.

Inuyasha walked in, carrying a handful of small fish in each hand.  He dropped them into one of the pans that Kagome had brought from her time.

"Morning," she said, trying to catch the hanyou's attention.

Inuyasha looked over, seemingly startled by Kagome's greeting.  "Morning," he replied.  He looked back at the fish.  "Ready for breakfast?" he asked, glancing back at Kagome.

            The girl nodded, pushing herself up and sitting with her knees folded beside her.  She yawned and stretched out her arms, arching her back at the same time.  When did I fall asleep? She wondered.  The schoolgirl looked to the side of her and noticed a familiarly dreadful book.  She grabbed the science book and threw it on top of her backpack.  Evil, evil book… she thought, glaring at the text.

-*-*-*-

            Inuyasha crouched next to Kagome as she eyed the book with revulsion.  Once again, the hanyou found himself wondering why she read those books when in actuality, she hated them.  He shrugged off the thought and lit one of Kagome's magic fire sticks.  He dropped it into the fire pit and then proceeded to cook breakfast.

            After breakfast had been consumed, all of the fish gone form sight, Kagome stood up and offered Inuyasha her hand.

"It's a beautiful day," she said, smiling down at him, "Wanna go for a walk?"

Inuyasha nodded and followed the girl out of the hut.

-*-*-*-

            Outside, the sun was shining brilliantly without a cloud to block its beautiful rays.  A chill still hung in the winter air, but it was no longer silent.  The soft chirps of birds could be heard, signifying the inevitable approach of spring equinox.

            Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared up at the blue sky.  The girl smiled happily, opening her arms and twirling around.  Kagome stopped to look at Inuyasha, who was giving her a deadpan look.

"There's something seriously wrong with you," he said blankly, still giving her the same look.

Kagome sighed and turned away from him, but the smile could not be removed from her face.  In fact, it widened at the remark that the hanyou had made.  It was such a classic, stereotypical Inuyasha answer.  It was almost funny.

            Kagome turned back to Inuyasha as a gentle breeze passed through the area.  The hanyou's silver hair drifted across his face, masking everything except his amber eyes.  His eyes looked contemplative, almost brooding.  Kagome rarely saw him like this, but when she did, he was normally thinking about Kik-

            Kagome stopped herself from completing the thought.  She sat down in the grass and breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of winter that hung in the air.  She glanced over at Inuyasha again.  He would look really good in a tux…

            Whoa, where had that come from?!  Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.  She definitely had Tolo on the brain.  Kagome sighed heavily and rested her chin on her hand.  She couldn't think straight for even a moment!

-*-*-*-

            Inuyasha stared up at the sky.  A gust of wind blew his hair into his face, tickling his chin.  He blinked and tucked his hands into the opposite yukata sleeves.

            The way that Kagome had just acted; the way that she had smiled so gleefully and spun around with such a carefree manner had awakened something inside of him.  It snaked through him, tickling his stomach and chest lightly.  He wanted to smile, but wasn't sure if that was what he was _supposed_ to do.

            Inuyasha sighed deeply.  It must have been something in the air.  He just couldn't think straight.  Not at all.  **Not even for one moment.**

~*~

Author's note:  So how was that?  I thought it was a fairly good chapter… but then again, it's almost 3 in the morning, and I am friggin' exhausted.  You could probably show me the lyrics to some stupid Hilary Duff song, trying to pass it off as an Ayashi no Ceres fic, and I'd tell you that it was the greatest thing I'd ever read.  Let's just hope it never comes to that.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's notes: I'm back! Can I get a woot, woot? cricket chirps or, maybe not! thank you all for being so patient while I dealt with school and other important issues! …ok, so no all of them were important. -.-;;

Argh, fanfiction.net has some new thing going on, so it's messing up my format. -.- I'll fix it if I can…

Anyway, here is the much-awaited 6th chapter. Enjoy!

****

Dance With Me

Chapter 6

Inuyasha dropped his head into his hands and stared at Kagome. She sat in the corner of the hut, studying another one of her books. Her brow was creased in concentration. A loud yawn emitted from Inuyasha's mouth. He rolled onto his side, still staring at the schoolgirl.

"Kagome," he said in a bored tone, "Are you done yet?"

Kagome glanced up from her book just long enough to send an icy glare at the hanyou. She looked back at her book and began scribbling onto a piece of paper. "I wasn't done two minutes ago- Chances are I'm not done now," she muttered angrily, her eyes fixed on the book in her lap.

Inuyasha yawned again and closed his eyes. God, he was bored. Not to mention anxious. He should have been out, looking for more pieces of the Shikon no Tama. But, no, that would only be in a perfect world. Instead he was sitting inside- doing **nothing**. Inuyasha snorted.

---

Kagome took another moment to glance up and glare at the hanyou. Why did he have to be so impatient? _Because he wants to go find the jewel shards_, she quickly answered herself. The girl sighed and stared down at her schoolwork. At the moment, there was nothing she wanted to do less than this bunch of busywork. Even a fight with Naraku didn't seem too bad. Kagome snorted. That was an extremely foolish thought.

Kagome gently closed her book and placed it in her backpack. She'd had enough algebra for one day. It was time to start working on her English. Kagome groaned softly. She _hated_ English. It was such a hard language to learn… and even harder to speak.

The schoolgirl opened her backpack even wider as she searched for the ugly, orange English book. It didn't appear to be in her backpack…

"Shit," Kagome muttered softly. She picked up her backpack and flipped it over dumping all of its contents onto the wooden floor with a loud clatter.

---

Inuyasha's ears perked at the noise. He shot up and looked in Kagome's direction. She sat on the floor, a sea of schoolbooks, clothing, and food surrounding her. Her brown eyes darted around, seemingly searching for something in the mass of clutter.

"Dammit!" she cried in a frustrated tone. She quickly scooped all of her belongings into the bag and threw it over her shoulder. She began walking towards the door.

Inuyasha gawked at her. "Where are you going?" he asked, although he was pretty sure that he already knew the answer. He stood up and walked after her.

Kagome turned around and gave Inuyasha a pleading stare. "I need to go back to my time for a bit," she said quickly, turning back around and walking to the well.

Inuyasha followed. "You've been here for barely _two days_!" he shouted. He leapt in front of her, blocking her path.

Kagome gave him another pleading stare, here eyes widening slightly. "I just need to go back for a minute! I'm just going to pick something up."

Inuyasha growled softly, but began walking to the well. He folded his arms. "Then I'm going with you. Just to make sure you don't take too long." He heard Kagome's soft footsteps behind him.

"Arigato, Inuyasha," she murmured, bounding up next to him. "I'll just be a minute, don't worry."

"Uh-huh," the hanyou murmured doubtfully. He padded up to the well and jumped through, closing his eyes as he felt himself being transported to Kagome's world.

---

With Inuyasha's help, Kagome climbed out of the well. She jumped off of the edge and landed softly on her feet. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes in pure euphoria. She could smell her mom's cooking in the air. The sweet, delicate scent filled the schoolgirl's nostrils as she walked towards her house.

Kagome turned back to the hanyou. "I don't suppose that you would want to have dinner with my family tonight?" She offered, smiling gently.

"Feh," Inuyasha muttered, turning his head away.

Kagome's smile widened. Despite his classic answer, she knew that Inuyasha could never turn down her mom's cooking. In fact, she had never met anyone that could. It was **that** good.

---

Inuyasha inhaled deeply. What was it about Kagome's mom's cooking that it made it so irresistible? The spices she used? The sauce, maybe? Or maybe the fact that it seemed to be everything great all wrapped in one? Either way, it was one of the finer things he had come to appreciate.

The hanyou followed Kagome to her house. She opened the front door and took her shoes off, walking in once she had done so. She dropped her backpack next to the door.

"I'm home!" she called sweetly.

Inuyasha walked into the warm house, his ears perking up as he heard the excited squeals of Kagome's little brother.

"Inu-Chan!" Sota was now running down the stairs at top speed. He bounded up to Inuyasha and grinned. "Are you going to have dinner with us tonight?" The little boy's eyes were now widening and sparkling with hope.

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed slightly; his ears flattened. God, the kid was forward. The hanyou nodded, shooting a sideways glance at Kagome. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a smile creep across her face.

---

Kagome smiled sweetly at Inuyasha before running up the stairs. Once she reached the top, she turned and pushed the door of her room open. Her brown eyes roamed over the small room, and fell on her desk. She walked to it and examined the top, but she didn't see her English book.

Kagome's brow creased slightly. She kneeled next to her desk and began pulling out the drawers. She stared into each of them, pushing aside the stray pieces of paper and old mementos from long ago, but still, no book.

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. _What if I left it at school?_ She wondered. _What if somebody found it and took it?_ With each thought, her stress level rose. Schoolbooks were expensive to replace. This one alone would probably cost fifty dollars!

"Shit…" Kagome murmured, falling to her hands and knees. She leaned down and looked under her bed. A cry of surprise erupted from her mouth when a big fluff-ball of a cat swiped at her with a massive paw. "Buyo!" she shouted angrily, pulling him out from under her bed. The cat quickly squirmed out of her grasp and ran through the open door.

---

Inuyasha pressed himself against the wall, narrowly avoiding tripping over the cat that had just ran out of Kagome's room like a bat out of hell. He watched it scramble down the stairs, but his attention turned to Kagome's room when he heard a cry of frustration. He walked to the doorway and peered in.

Kagome sat on the floor, her brow creased slightly. She quickly rose to her feet and reached for the weird contraption next to her bedside. She held the piece of machinery to her ear and began to press little buttons on the base of it. She seemed oblivious to Inuyasha's presence.

---

Kagome held the phone next to ear and listened to the dial tone anxiously. She knew that Inuyasha was standing in the doorway, apparently waiting for her to acknowledge his presence, but she really couldn't talk to him right now. Not until she found her book. Finally, someone picked up the phone on the other end.

"Oi, Eri," she said, "Have you seen my English book? "

"Yeah," came Eri's voice through the phone, "You left it at school the other day, so I brought it home with me."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Arigato, Eri-Chan," she said softly, "Can I come over and pick it up?"

"Sure," came Eri's answer, "I'll see you in a couple minutes, ne?"

"Hai," Kagome said, "Ja ne." And, with that, Kagome hung up the phone. She turned and looked at Inuyasha, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Inuyasha," she said, "I'll be right back; I just need to pick something up from a friend's house." She brushed past him and began walking down the stairs.

---

"Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha called after the girl, running down the stairs to catch up with her, "I'm coming. It'll be faster if I take you."

Kagome whirled around and stared at Inuyasha. Her brown eyes widened slightly. She seemed to be considering it…

"No," she finally said, "You can't be seen." Inuyasha snorted. He had gone out in her world before, why was this any different? "I'll be fast; I promise," she reassured him.

She turned around and headed for the door. Sliding her feet in her brown shoes, she walked out the door, leaving Inuyasha glaring at her retreating back.

He didn't stare at it for long, however. Inuyasha waited for Kagome to leave the compound before he ran after her. He glided smoothly and quietly on the pavement, unnoticed.

---

Kagome walked down the street, her heels clicking on the cement with every step she took. She glanced up at the winter sky. The clouds had parted, leaving a clear view of the orange sky as the sun began to set. The schoolgirl yawned and stretched her arms behind her back.

She was almost to Eri's house when she heard something behind her. She quickly turned around, looking for a stray cat or maybe a dog. Nothing caught the attention of her eyes, so she turned and walked on. _I must be getting paranoid from being in the Feudal Era_, Kagome told herself as she walked.

Kagome reached the door to Eri's house and knocked 3 times. She bounced on the balls of her feet and looked listened for any movement inside Eri's house. The door swung open, an angry-looking Eri standing in the frame. She glared at Kagome, her brow creased.

"We need to talk," she muttered, and with that, she grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her into the house.

Eri gave her another penetrating stare. Kagome stared back with wide, bemused brown eyes.

Eri crossed her arms. "Did Hojo really ask you to Tolo?" she asked.

"Yes…" Kagome replied simply, shuffling her feet.

"And did you _really_ turn him down?" she pressed.

"Yes." Kagome flinched, preparing herself for the oncoming lecture-rant.

Eri exploded. "How could you turn him down? He is the single best-looking guy at our school! And, he's nice, funny, good-looking-"

"Yeah, you said that," Kagome chimed in with a snicker.

Eri didn't pay any attention to Kagome's snide remark. "How could you really say no?"

"Well, aren't the _girls _supposed to ask the _guys_?" Kagome asked, defensively.

"Yes, but so what?" Eri asked rhetorically. Her eyes glistened slightly; she clasped her hands together. "Are you going to ask him to Tolo?" she asked excitedly.

Kagome gave her a deadpan stare. "No," she said simply, causing Eri to facefault.

"Let me guess," Eri said, "You're going to ask that jealous, two-timing, jerk boyfriend of yours, aren't you?"

Kagome sighed. _She means Inuyasha…_ Kagome thought about that. The idea had been dancing around her brain ever since she had seen the flyer. But she never actually thought it would happen…

Eri scoffed. "He seems like such an _animal_, the way he treats you," she muttered, "I guess the theme would fit him, then..."

"Huh?" Kagome asked, puzzled.

"The theme for Tolo this year is _Wild Inside_," she said, seemingly exasperated that Kagome didn't already know, "You're supposed to go formal, but have some hint of an animal, or something." She shrugged. "I dunno, it's kind of weird, if you ask me. But it would fit that jerk boyfriend of yours perfectly."

Kagome snorted. If only Eri knew the truth behind her words… Kagome shook her head viciously, remembering why she had come to Eri's house in the first place.

"Eri, can I have my book?" she asked, "I need to get home…" _Yeah, my jealous, two-timing, jerk boyfriend is waiting_, she added silently.

Eri nodded and bounded off down the hall. She came back, Kagome's orange English book in hand. She gave it to Kagome.

"Arigato, Eri-Chan," she murmured taking the book and cradling it in the nook of her arm. She turned on her heel and began walking away when she heard Eri say something.

"Yep," she muttered, "Good luck with that boyfriend." She closed the door.

Kagome smiled slightly at her friend's brusque behavior, and continued walking. The sun was completely gone from the sky now, sending the world back into darkness. The only lights that were visible were the few streetlights in the area and the glowing moon overhead.

A subtle breeze passed Kagome, sending chills up her spine and raising goosebumps on her arms. She shivered and rubbed her arms, ducking her head down to avoid the chilly wind.

"Oi, Kagome."

---

Inuyasha stared at the girl. She was shivering. The hanyou quickly took off his haori and draped it around her shoulders.

"Baka," he said, "You shouldn't come out after dark in the winter. You'll get sick."

Arigato, Inuyasha…" she replied, smiling gently. He noticed her eyes rise to his ears. They twitched slightly. "Inuyasha!" she hissed, "Someone's going to see you!" She dropped her book and stood on the tip of her toes, covering his ears with her hands.

He felt himself being pulled down by the pressure that she put on his head. He quickly scrambled out of her hold and stared at her. "Baka, nobody's going to see me." He turned and began walking to Kagome's house. "Come on. Your mother's food is probably ready." _Baka…_ he added silently in reference to her behavior.

---

Kagome followed closely behind the hanyou, watching him strut down the street with an air of confidence. She smiled, her cheeks beginning to flush from the cold. Inuyasha was so confident, so hotheaded… Tolo would definitely prove to be an interesting event if she took him…

Inuyasha turned and stared at Kagome. He raised his eyebrows slight, an indication that suggested she was taking too long. Kagome ran up to the hanyou and continued walking with him.

She shot a sideways glance in his direction and smiled. She had decided. It was going to happen.

She was going to ask Inuyasha to Tolo.

Author's notes: ok, if at some parts it seemed like I was struggling to write it… it's because I was. xx it just wasn't flowing very well… it'll get better in the later chapters, so, w00t.


	7. Chapter 7

****

Dance With Me

Chapter 7

Clouds hovered in the night sky, announcing the inevitable snow that would soon plague the land. The stars that would have provided a little light were hidden by the veil of grey clouds that hung in the air. Unluckily for Kagome, the entire area around the well was plunged into darkness. She could hardly see her pale hands in front of her.

Kagome held onto the inner-bricks of the well, her delicate fingers grasping the crumbling stone and splintering wood. The girl grunted as she tried to pull herself over the edge of the well; but the heavy bag on her back resisted. Kagome was starting to slip when she felt strong hands grasp her shoulders. They pulled her out of the well and onto the wet grass. She almost fell over once the hands released her. She stared into the dark, squinting.

Two lavender eyes stared back. "Kagome?" came a familiar voice.

"Inuyasha…?" An alarm went off in Kagome's head. Of course! It was the night of the new moon! He had reverted to his human form! "Inuyasha!" the girl cried, "What are you doing out here?"

"Feh, I could ask you the same thing…" he replied. Kagome could see the faint outline of his black hair swishing in the dark as he began to walk away.

"Wait!" she called, "I can't see a thing!" She stretched her arms out as she searched for Inuyasha. Where was he?

"Neither can I, baka," he said, his crisp voice coming from her left. The schoolgirl turned and wandered in his direction. "You need to try and use your other senses," he muttered, grabbing her arm and leading her through the dark.

Kagome blushed, and silently thanked the night for its shroud of darkness. She huddled next to Inuyasha as they walked through the dark forest.

"Where are Miroku and Sango?" she asked, breaking the silence. She hadn't seen them for a while…

"Miroku's probably at Kaede's hut," Inuyasha replied simply, his voice seeming to come from nowhere. "Not sure about Sango, though."

"What do you mean 'not sure'?" Kagome inquired, staring at what she assumed was Inuyasha.

"Exactly what it sounds like. _Not. Sure,_" he murmured sarcastically, "She left with Kirara, yesterday, and hasn't been back yet. I think she went to fix Hiraikotsu…" his voice trailed off.

"Did she seem angry?" Kagome pressed further.

"_No_," Inuyasha said in an agitated tone, "In fact, she didn't say anything. Just left."

__

Then that means she was upset about something, Kagome thought silently. Really, Inuyasha was so dense sometimes.

---

Inuyasha stared ahead; he could see the faint glow of the village lights as they approached the edge of the forest. A delicate scent of roasted salmon hung in the air. Inuyasha inhaled deeply, and frowned. If he wasn't a human for the night, he would be able to take in the whole of the wonderful smell. But, no, his human nose was too weak for that. _Damn…_ he thought grimly, curling his free hand into a fist.

Kagome and Inuyasha stepped into the light of the small town, wincing slightly at the bright light of the torches before them. Inuyasha glanced to his side, and noticed that Kagome was still clinging to his left arm. She looked up and met his gaze. Her cheeks swiftly changed to a rosy hue, portraying her embarrassment. She let go of Inuyasha's arm and averted her eyes.

__

Stupid Inuyasha, stupid, he chided himself silently, _if you hadn't looked she wouldn't have let go…_ Wait. Why did he even care?

Much to Inuyasha's dismay, his cheeks also turned pink. He looked away nonchalantly and strode into the town, Kagome's quick, but quiet footsteps following behind. Inuyasha walked through the scarcely populated village and crept into Kaede's hut. Kagome followed him in.

---

Kagome's brown eyes roamed over the small hut and fell on a monk in the corner. He sat with his legs crossed, but his eyes were closed, his breathing coming soft and even. _Apparently whatever is ailing Sango isn't bothering him too much_, the schoolgirl thought grimly. The girl's eyes gave the room a once-over again.

"Where's Shippou?" she asked, turning to the black-haired Inuyasha.

He shrugged. "I think he went with Sango."

Kagome sighed. Inuyasha never had been the person to go to for exact details…

The girl crept into the room, tiptoeing quietly on the wooden floor as to not awaken the sleeping monk. She sat on the stone part of the hut and pulled out a small notebook labeled _'A.I.'_ out of her backpack. At this point it did seem sort of obsessive to devote an entire notebook to one small project, but Kagome didn't mind. She pulled a pink hello kitty pencil out of her backpack and began scribbling furiously on the first page of the notebook.

---

Inuyasha gave Kagome a deadpan stare. She had been here for barely ten minutes, and she was already doing her schoolwork. Inuyasha snorted and padded over to the girl. He dropped down into a squat in front of her.

"Why did you come," he asked, his lavender eyes glimmering in the flickering firelight, "If you were just going to do your homework?"

Kagome raised her head to meet Inuyasha's eyes. She smiled and laughed nervously. "Oh, it was just too noisy at my house, ya know? Couldn't get anything done-" she stopped talking and raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind?"

Inuyasha shot a glare at the girl and crept to his corner of the room. He laid on his side, resting his chin in his hand. The hanyou-turned-human-for-the-night stared at Kagome, wondering what exactly she was plotting.

---

Kagome looked over her handwriting studiously, making sure that each option worked out perfectly. Her paper read:

__

Op. 1: ask him the night before with promises of ramen if he comes

Op. 2: ask him tomorrow when he's barely awake

Op. 3: ask right now. Not only will it be quick and less painful, but it will be… um… less painful

Kagome grimaced slightly. God, those were awful options. But what choice did she have? One of the first thoughts that had come to mind when she saw the tolo poster was to ask Inuyasha. And her friend's sarcastic suggestion of asking her 'rude, jack-ass -blah blah- boyfriend' only strengthened the idea.

The girl glanced across the small room at Miroku, who was still fast asleep, and then at Inuyasha. He stared back. Kagome blinked. He blinked.

"What?!" he asked, seemingly aggravated.

"Nothing," Kagome muttered, staring down at her notebook again. _Baka…_

The schoolgirl studied her notebook. _This is so stupid_, she told herself, closing the book. _It's not like it's rocket science or anything…_ Kagome placed the notebook in her backpack, along with her pencil.

She glanced over at Inuyasha, who now had his back to her. "Good night, Inuyasha," she murmured, leaning to the left and propping herself up on her elbows.

"Feh," he mumbled.

Kagome laid her head on the cold, wooden floor. _Tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow_, she told herself mentally, curling into the fetal position. She closed her eyes lazily, her head already swirling with dreams of what would be.

.-.-.

The next morning approached with snow. A chill swept in through the small window frame of the hut. It blew tiny specks of fresh snow into the small room. One small snowflake landed on Inuyasha's nose.

Inuyasha shook his head, his silver hair whipping about. His amber eyes roamed over the hut. Miroku had seemingly left, but Kagome still lay on the wooden floor on the other side of the room.

The girl lay in the fetal position, her arms and legs huddled close to her delicate body. Inuyasha noticed a layer of small bumps all over her legs. _She must be freezing, _the hanyou thought, standing up and trotting over to Kagome. He kneeled next to her as her body gave an involuntary shudder.

Inuyasha snorted. It served her right for wearing such skimpy clothing in the dead of winter. He pulled off his haori and placed it over her small frame.

He was just about to creep back to his part of the room, when he noticed that Kagome was stirring. Her eyes opened slowly, revealing soft, brown eyes. She glanced down at Inuyasha's haori, and then at the hanyou himself. A light blush painted her cheeks.

"Arigato, Inuyasha…" she whispered and smiled sleepily. And with that, she was back to sleep.

Inuyasha's stomach did flip-flops on the inside of his body. He felt his cheeks warm and turned away quickly, afraid that Kagome would see his rosy cheeks. The hanyou grimaced and growled softly. Why was he blushing in the first place?

Inuyasha wasn't given enough time to answer that question. He sniffed the air, inhaling the barely noticeable scent of blood. He ran out of the hut, bounding into the powdery snow.

---

Kagome opened her eyes as a gentle wind swept through the hut. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared at the doorway. Where was Inuyasha? She was sure that he had just been here, that he had given her his haori. Or was that all a dream…?

Kagome blinked a couple of times, trying to see through the fuzzy veil of sleep. She brought her fingers and touched her stomach tentatively. She felt the thick, but soft fire-rat haori. _So it wasn't a dream_, she thought, smiling slightly. The schoolgirl sat up and rubbed her eyes, once again trying to wipe away the sleep. She opened them again, and looked around the hut. Neither Miroku nor Inuyasha were there.

Kagome shivered and pulled Inuyasha's haori around her shoulders. She really should've worn warmer clothes…

The girl stood and wandered to the doorway. She poked her head out, and surveyed the small village. Snow filled the area, turning the small town into a mass of white oblivion. The girl glanced into the snow and saw a pair of footsteps. Each footstep was far in front of the other, indicating that the person whom they belonged to had been running. _Inuyasha…_

Kagome gave the surrounding area one last look. Why wasn't anyone outside? Surely even people in the Feudal Era could appreciate the snow… The schoolgirl shrugged, but still, something didn't feel right. Nobody was outside, but there wasn't even a sound. She didn't hear any sounds coming from the surrounding huts and small houses. Why was that? The townspeople couldn't still be asleep… could they?

Kagome frowned slightly. The silence of the town shouldn't have been such a big deal, but it seemed to be. The girl let out a small whimper of confusion and frustration before running inside. She grabbed her bow and a few arrows, and headed out, following Inuyasha's fading footsteps.

---

Inuyasha sniffed again. The scent was getting stronger, and more familiar. _Miroku,_ he called silently, _don't be dead._ The hanyou picked up his pace, almost flying over the snow. His golden eyes searched the forest for Miroku. Why had he left in the first place? Inuyasha shook his head. He would save the questions for later. Right now he needed to find that monk and make sure he was still alive.

Suddenly Inuyasha got a strong blast of the scent of blood. He made an immediate right and continued running. Snow began to fall from the sky, hovering on the wind and hitting Inuyasha in the face. He shook his head furiously, and closed his eyes, trying to block out the snow.

__

"Sango, get down!"

Inuyasha heard the monk's voice in the midst of all of the snow. It was barely audible, just so that Inuyasha could hear it. He turned and ran in the direction of the voice. Miroku's voice seemed strained, as if he were in great pain, but still trying to fight. A soft growl rose in Inuyasha's throat, his eyes narrowing. Only a little further…

The hanyou reached a small clearing in the trees. Drops of crimson blood stained the snow, creating a sort of trail to Miroku, who sat in the middle of the wooded clearing. His clothes were ripped in several places, his shoulder torn and bloody. Inuyasha gaped at the monk, and then turned his attention to Sango who lay just a few meters away.

The girl lay sprawled on her back, her eyes closed in unconscious agony. Inuyasha noticed that her left sleeve was torn open, revealing fresh, bloody wounds. Kirara lay near her feet, also unconscious.

Inuyasha stood, rooted to the spot, as Shippou appeared out of a small burrow. The small kitsune trotted over to Miroku.

"Are you okay, Miroku?" the little boy asked, looking at Miroku's injury.

Miroku nodded, trying to give the kitsune a smile. It came out in a pained expression. "I'm fine. Go get Inuyasha and Kagome. I don't know if I should move with this wound…"

Shippou nodded and bounded off, running into the thicker part of the forest, towards town. He narrowly missed contact with Inuyasha, but didn't seem to notice.

Inuyasha shook his head ferociously, shaking himself out of his daze. He padded over to Miroku. He kneeled next to the monk.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked calmly.

Miroku looked at Inuyasha, seemingly shocked that he had gotten there so fast. "A- A youkai," the monk said, "I heard that one was nearby, and went out to look for it. And I found Sango." He shot a concerned glance at the demon exterminator. "She had beaten me to it."

Inuyasha nodded, also glancing at the girl.

"But, it was too much for her," Miroku continued, "I don't know how it's even possible, but… it was killing her." A wave of emotional agony washed over the monk's young face. "I fought it, but…" He motioned to his bleeding shoulder. "It got the best of me. It was powerful, for just an average forest youkai… I tried to use my kazanaa, but it escaped before it could get pulled in."

Inuyasha nodded. "I'll find it later. For now, we need to get you and Sango back to Kaede's hut."

Miroku nodded. "Can you carry her? I'll carry Kirara."

Inuyasha nodded again and padded over to the girl. He gently scooped his arms under her knees and arms and picked her up. Upon being lifted, she opened her eyes lazily. She stared at Inuyasha, confusion glimmering in her eyes.

"Inuyasha…" she said weakly. She glanced at Miroku. "Miroku…" Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she cried weakly, fighting her tears.

The monk offered a smile to his friend. "Don't worry about it." He picked up Kirara and began running back to the hut, Inuyasha following closely behind.

---

Kagome ran through the snow, her legs becoming more and more tired with each step. Inuyasha's footsteps were starting to become hard to see in the deep snow. More of the fluffy substance was falling from the sky, covering them.

Kagome's grip tightened on her bow. She just knew something bad was going to happen… any minute now…

As if on cue, Kagome fell through an air pocket in the deep snow. She sunk deep into the snow, almost up to her neck. The girl let out a squeak of surprise and grabbed onto a piece of ice, preventing herself from falling even deeper.

Kagome shivered, her clothes becoming soaked by the wet, icy snow. _Maybe I should go back_, she thought. The idea seemed more and more appealing by the minute. The girl pulled herself out of the snowy pit, and dragged herself onto level ground. She kneeled in the snow, her body shaking.

Kagome stood and started to walk. _But wait,_ she thought, _is this the way I came from, or the way I was going?_ The girl turned around, searching for her footsteps, but to no avail. The increasing amount of snow falling from the clouds had covered her tracks, leaving her stranded in a baron forest of snow and trees.

Kagome's body gave an involuntary shudder. _Shit, shit, shit…_ The schoolgirl's eyes darted around the forest grove. _I think I came from **that** direction…maybe…?_ She let out a pathetic whimper. _Where do I go…?_

The girl began to walk in the direction that she _hoped_ she had come from. But that same feeling of uncertainty still clung to her heart.

She suddenly didn't think falling into snowy air pockets would be her biggest problem.

---

Inuyasha strode into the small hut and laid Sango on the wooden floor. His eyes searched the room for Kagome, but only found Shippou, who was sitting next to a blazing fire.

"Oi, Shippou," he called, "Where's Kagome?"

The kitsune blinked and shrugged. "I thought she'd be with you," he said.

Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat. _Kagome… isn't here?_ He asked silently. _Maybe she went home…_ but, no, her backpack was still here, so she couldn't have gone back to her time…

"Miroku." Inuyasha turned to the monk who was laying Kirara next to Sango. "Take care of Sango for a bit… I need to look for Kagome, but I'll be back as fast as I can."

The hanyou didn't wait for an answer. He darted out the door, back into the blizzard of white.

---

Kagome's bottom lip quivered, her eyes threatening to burst into tears. "Inuyasha!" she cried at the top of her lungs, though she knew that he would never be able to hear her with all of the interference.

The girl continued walking, wrapping the cold, wet haori around her shoulders even tighter. _I have to get home_, she told herself, _I have to ask Inuyasha to tolo…_ Kagome's brow furrowed at that last thought. Maybe she was delirious…

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. _What the hell is that? _She asked herself. She could hear a considerable amount of growling behind her. _Inuyasha?_ She thought, turning around.

All color that had managed to stay on her face drained. _Not Inuyasha…_ Kagome found herself face-to-face with a youkai; one that she had never seen before. It was big; about half of the size of Sesshoumaru in his demon form. It had pearly white fangs, dripping with blood; and a grey ruff of fur, which stood out from its white body. The youkai had the body of an oversized dog, but the face of a monster from a child's nightmare. Its red eyes searched Kagome.

The girl stared back, completely frozen by fear. _Get out your bow and arrow, baka!_ She demanded of herself as she began to back away. Trembling fingers gripped the handle of the bow, as her other hand began to place an arrow into it. Her shaking fingers dropped the bow and arrow. The girl shook her hands, which were now numb. _Dammit…_ She stared at her lifeless hands, and then back at the youkai.

__

Only one thing to do now… she told herself.

__

Run.

Kagome turned and ran into the blinding snow, hearing the pursuit of the demon behind her. The cold wind attacked her face and teeth, sending painful chills throughout her body. Every muscle in her body was frozen and aching, but she managed to scream out one word…

"Inuyasha!"

---

The instant Inuyasha heard his name he began running in the direction of the voice. When it reached his ears, it sounded like a faint whisper, but to have even reached him, it would have been a scream. _Kagome, hold on…_

Inuyasha ran as fast as he possibly could, his feet sinking into the snow with each step. He whipped his head around wildly, searching for Kagome.

__

"Inuyasha!"

This scream was closer. It also seemed to hold more pain…

Inuyasha growled softly. _I'm coming…_

The hanyou picked up a new scent: a youkai. But, along with that scent, was the overwhelming smell of fresh blood; Kagome's blood. Inuyasha's growl deepened.

Finally, the hanyou came to a small clearing in the forest. His golden eyes fell on a giant youkai and then moved to Kagome, who was just meters away from the demon. Their eyes connected, her brown eyes filled with fear.

"Kagome!" he shouted. He pulled the Tessaiga out of its sheath and ran at the youkai. He held it over his head and threw it down with great force, sending the kaze no kizu directly through the youkai's spine. The giant demon almost instantly vaporized, leaving just a few bits and pieces of fresh meat on the snowy earth.

The hanyou ignored the demon flesh and ran straight for Kagome. He kneeled next to her. He noticed numerous scratches on her arms and legs, some of which were bleeding.

"Are you alright?" he asked, ignoring the fact that she was bleeding from multiple wounds.

Kagome nodded, and smiled feebly. "I'm just cold," she said in a quiet voice, showing Inuyasha her hands.

Inuyasha stared at her hands. They were starting to change color. Without thinking, the hanyou took her hands in his, blushing slightly as he did so. Kagome did the same.

"If you don't warm up," he started, "you'll freeze to death."

---

Kagome gawked at the hanyou. Was he really holding her hands? Was he really concerned for her? Or was this all a cruel dream? A hallucination, maybe? Kagome had heard somewhere that people see what they want most right before they die from exposure… But, no, that couldn't be it… could it?

Kagome hesitantly pulled her hands from Inuyasha's, almost instantly regretting her actions. She pushed herself off of the ground, but found that standing was very difficult. She held onto a nearby tree trunk for support. Inuyasha stood, his eyes portraying concern.

"My legs are numb," Kagome murmured.

She closed her eyes slowly, and nodded her head. All of a sudden she was so tired, so very, very tired; and all she wanted to do was curl up right there in the snow and sleep. She started to fall into the snow, her grip on the tree loosening. But, Inuyasha caught her. She felt herself being picked up as Inuyasha's voice called to her.

__

"Kagome!" he shouted, "Kagome!"

His voice was beginning to grow even fainter, until, eventually, it was just darkness.

---

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted. It had no effect on the girl; she was already comatose.

Inuyasha sped off in the direction of the town, gliding over the snow, leaping over fallen trees. _I have to get her back before she…_ Inuyasha couldn't finish his thought.

After what seemed like far too long, Inuyasha reached Kaede's hut. He rushed in, placing Kagome next to the fire. Miroku rushed to her, his shoulder already wrapped in white bandages.

"What happened?" the monk asked, putting a warm hand to Kagome's forehead.

"I don't know," the hanyou replied, refusing to meet Miroku's questioning eyes, "The youkai found her before I did… but I don't know why she was out there…" Inuyasha placed the back of a clawed hand on her cheek, and frowned. "She's as cold as ice."

"She must have been out there for a long time," Miroku murmured, surveying her body. "Her clothes are soaking." He reached for the top button of her blouse, but Inuyasha grabbed it.

"Don't even think about it, you pervert," he growled.

Miroku smiled and laughed nervously putting up his hands in an 'I-give-up' stance, but then returned to all seriousness. "We do need to get her out of those wet clothes though…"

"I'll do it."

Both Inuyasha and Miroku turned around to stare at Sango. Her major injuries had been wrapped in bandages, but she still looked weary. She kneeled next to Kagome and started unbuttoning her shirt, starting from the bottom. She stopped and glared at Miroku and Inuyasha.

"Do you mind?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Inuyasha and Miroku took the hint and left the hut, sitting right outside on a wooden bench.

---

Inside of the hut, Sango was working diligently to pry Kagome's wet clothes off of her cold body. She laid them across the stone floor of the hut, and then placed a blanket over Kagome. She had brought it from her world earlier, and Sango believed that the term for it was 'fleece.' It was very soft, and, hopefully, very warm.

Sango stood and strode to the doorway of the hut. Miroku and Inuyasha shot anxious glances at her.

"You can come in now," she said, "but we still need to do something… she's freezing."

Inuyasha and Miroku nodded and walked into the warm hut.

---

Miroku walked to his corner of the hut and sat, while Inuyasha padded to Kagome and kneeled next to her. He touched her forehead with his fingertips. She was still so cold…

Inuyasha noticed Sango kneeling next to him. She held a small cup of steaming tea. "This might help," she murmured. The girl placed her free hand on the back of Kagome's head and tipped the cup over her open mouth, letting the tea flow in.

"We need to keep her warm, but not hot," Sango said, "If we make her too hot too fast, she could die."

Inuyasha nodded, staring at Kagome with concerned eyes. Sango stood and walked over to where Kirara and Shippou lay. "I'll check on her later…" she muttered, "but, for now, this is all we can really do." She laid next to Kirara and closed her eyes.

Inuyasha still kneeled next to Kagome, watching her eyes; waiting for them to open. _Be okay, Kagome…_ he pleaded silently.

---

_Light… where's that light coming from? Where am I…? How did I get here…?_ Multiple thoughts swarmed Kagome's exhausted mind as she lay, cold and still, in the hut. Her eyelids felt heavy and frozen, but she pried them open, wincing slightly at the bright light that greeted her. She closed them again.

"Kagome?" an uncertain hanyou's voice called to her.

"Inuyasha…" she murmured, smiling slightly, though she had no idea why she did so. She urged her eyes open once again, to look upon the hanyou next to her.

Inuyasha sat next to her, his face just inches from hers. "Inuyasha…" she said again, "I'm sorry."

The hanyou pulled back and sat. He snorted. "Baka," he muttered, "For what?"

Now that she thought about it, Kagome really wasn't sure what she was apologizing for. "For running into the snow, and making you save me, again," she decided.

"Feh," Inuyasha mumbled, "It's nothing."

Kagome smiled. _It's not nothing, Inuyasha_, she wanted to say, _it really **is** something…_

"I'm sorry I didn't get there faster," he said, hanging his head and letting his bangs fall over his amber eyes.

"Inuyasha, it's fine," she said. Her smile widened. She propped herself onto her elbows. "But, I know how you can make it up to me…" She grinned deviously.

The hanyou raised an eyebrow. "How?" he asked, seemingly curious, but also somewhat afraid of what her suggestion would be.

"Will you go to tolo with me?" she asked innocently, titling her head slightly.

---

Inuyasha stared at Kagome, a bemused expression on his face. He still wasn't quite sure what tolo was; the idea of it was foreign to him.

But, still… it would be a way to make it up to Kagome… to make up for not being there right when she needed him.

Inuyasha gave Kagome a quirky smile and nodded. "Hai."

.-.-.

Author's notes: yay, the seventh chapter is done! Amen and hallelujah, right? ; Some of you may have noticed quite a bit of angst/drama in this chapter… well… I just couldn't stay away! My friends know it, and I guess you guys do too, now… I'm a sucker for the angst. XD And, I have to say it… goddammit, I love Inuyasha! XD ::glomps Inu::


	8. Chapter 8

****

Dance With Me

Chapter 8

Delicate snowflakes fell from a cloudy sky, the flakes much gentler in comparison with the previous day's blizzard. The whole forest was covered in white, with the occasional green or brown revealing itself where the snow had not fallen.

One girl walked among the snow, her cheeks painted with a light blush. Tiny specks of white snow decorated her raven hair as she frolicked through the area. The girl aimed her brown eyes skyward and smiled into the falling snow.

"I'm going to tolo," she whispered with a grin. The girl let out a high-pitched squeal and continued to skip through the snow, unknowing of the amber eyes that followed her every movement.

---

Inuyasha watched the girl dance about in the snow, his golden eyes full of curiosity and confusion. _Why is she acting like this?_ The hanyou wondered, _is she still sick from yesterday?_

Inuyasha scratched his head with a clawed hand, leaning back on his haunches. She had been acting so weird lately; not just since the blizzard, but for the past week. The hanyou didn't know what to make of it. The only culprit that he could think of was tolo. He, however, still didn't know what tolo was. Sure, it was a 'dance,' a 'get-together', a 'gathering.' But, if that was all it was, why was Kagome making such a big deal out of it?

Inuyasha snorted. _Because she makes a big deal out of everything. _The hanyou turned and began to trot back to town, the snow falling around him in a shroud of white.

---

Kagome continued to prance through the snow. She wrapped her scarf around her neck tightly, pulling any warmth that she could to her delicate body. The girl danced, kicking up the powdery snow, until she felt a familiar presence close by. Kagome's brown eyes peered through the snow.

"Sango-Chan?" she called.

A girl's head popped out of the snow, shortly followed by a small cat demon that meowed its welcome to Kagome. "Oi, Kagome," Sango replied, smiling, "Are you feeling better?"

Kagome nodded, returning her friend's warm smile. She padded up to Sango and sat down in the snow, a layer of bumps rising on her skin as she did so.

"How about you, though?" Kagome asked, glancing at her friend's bandaged arm.

"It's fine, really," Sango responded, blushing gently. "Nothing that I can't handle." She gave Kagome a playful wink.

Kagome smiled. "How are things with Miroku?" The girl asked the question slowly, cautiously, as if afraid to ask it.

Sango looked surprised at the question. But her look of surprise almost instantly changed. The blush on her cheeks intensified, her eyes glimmering as she stared into the pearly snow. She closed her eyes, smiling slightly. "I'm not sure," she murmured, "I haven't spoken to him since yesterday."

Kagome tapped her bottom lip, her eyes rolling to the sky. "What happened yesterday, anyway?" she asked, "I mean, not about the youkai, but when you left."

"I think I just needed time away from Miroku," Sango said, tracing a finger through the frozen snow, "I… I told him how I felt." Her blush deepened to a shade of scarlet. "I know that he feels something for me, but…" Sango raised her head, scowling slightly. "He insists on flirting with every goddamned girl he comes in contact with!" Sango curled her hands into fists, her eyes an inferno of anger and annoyance.

Kagome laughed nervously. "That's Miroku," she said.

"I guess it is," Sango replied, giggling slightly, "And it doesn't make sense. but maybe that's why I can't help but love him like I do."

Kagome smiled knowingly. "It makes perfect sense."

---

Inuyasha trudged into Kaede's hut, his face a mask of mixed emotion. He dropped onto the floor with a loud thud. The hanyou dropped his head in his hand as he began to contemplate Kagome's behavior.

Inuyasha had been so intent on discovering what exactly was wrong with Kagome, that he didn't notice the monk and kitsune at the opposite side of the hut.

"Yo," came Miroku's voice.

The hanyou's ears twitched and he raised his head to glare at Miroku. "Feh." He continued to stare at the ground.

"What's wrong with you?" Shippou asked.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "All I want to know…" He raised his head. "Is what the hell tolo is!" The hanyou growled, annoyed by his lack of knowledge on the subject.

Miroku yawned. "If you want to know so badly," he said in a bored tone, "Why don't you ask someone from Kagome's world? Like her mom or brother?"

Inuyasha blinked. That actually wasn't such a bad idea.

Miroku used the hanyou's silence as a response. "I know, I'm brilliant," the monk said, leaning back against the wall of the hut.

"Not from what I hear." Inuyasha smirked. "You seem to be pissing off Sango more than usual."

"Really, now?" Miroku asked, though he didn't sound too interested. "Is that my fault?"

"Of course it is, you baka," Inuyasha growled, still smirking.

Shippou nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "You _know_ Sango likes you. But you still flirt with girls all the time."

"Is that bad?" Miroku asked innocently.

Inuyasha snorted, closing his eyes and shoving his arms into the opposite sleeves of his haori. "Baka."

---

Kagome bounded through the snow, Kirara dancing playfully at her heels. The girl giggled lightly and picked up the small cat demon. She smiled back at Sango.

"I think you should tell Miroku the extent of your feelings, Sango-Chan," Kagome called to her friend through the falling snow. "Tell him how you feel about his flirting."

Sango nodded, smiling gently. She laughed softly. "You make it sound so easy."

"Well, it doesn't have to be hard," the girl replied, still frolicking about with Kirara.

"Hmm." Sango murmured her agreement, and the two continued walking in the snow. Light flurries of snow continued to fall from the heavens, landing gently on the earth. Kirara jumped from Kagome's arms, chasing the flakes and swatting at them with her paws. Finally, Sango decided to break the silence.

"So, Inuyasha is going to that tolo thing with you, ne?" she said, a smile flickering on her lips.

Kagome blushed, but couldn't suppress a smile. "Hai," she murmured happily.

"What exactly do you have to do for tolo, anyway? It's in your world, so does Inuyasha need to get prepared or something?" Sango asked.

Kagome gulped. She definitely hadn't thought about that. First of all, Inuyasha would need a tuxedo. Second, he would need to know exactly what he could and could not do. His ears were already taken care of, thanks to the theme, which happened to be set on animals. However, this still would not be an easy feat…

Kagome gulped again. "I didn't really think about that…"

Sango smiled reassuringly at her friend. "I'm sure you'll figure it out, Kagome-Chan."

Kagome nodded, but a cruel knot of doubt still clung to her.

---

Inuyasha strode through the snow, his silver hair blowing across his face. _Where has Kagome gone now? _He wondered,_ surely she wouldn't wander too far after nearly being killed in a blizzard…_

Suddenly Inuyasha caught a glimpse of black hair and heard a cheerful voice. The hanyou breathed a sigh of relief. He padded up to the girl.

"Oi, Kagome," he said. She jumped slightly at his voice, and looked up, staring into his golden eyes. "You should probably go home." _That doesn't sound like me at all,_ the hanyou realized. _But that's the only way I'll be able to talk to her family about tolo…_ "I mean being sick and all… you might want to check in with your mother."

Kagome blinked, and Inuyasha swallowed hard. She wasn't buying any of this…

"Okay." Kagome stood. "Sayonara, Sango-Chan!"

Inuyasha gaped at her retreating form. No way. She believed him? And was going to go home without another word? Strange.

"Ja ne, Kagome-Chan," Sango called, waving one pale hand in the air. Suddenly her smile faded, her eyes narrowing. She turned to Inuyasha. "What are you plotting, Inuyasha?" She asked skeptically.

"Nani?" the hanyou asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

"It's not like you to tell Kagome to go home," the demon exterminator remarked.

"Feh," Inuyasha muttered, turning away from the Sango. He followed after Kagome, listening to Sango's snickering all the way…

---

Kagome stepped through the snowy oblivion, making her way to Kaede's hut. True, it was strange that Inuyasha actually wanted her to go home, but she might as well take advantage of the opportunity, right?

The girl walked into the hut, chills sweeping up and down her spine once the warmth of the room hit her. She smiled, a delicate blush painting her cheeks. Kagome walked to her bag and picked it up. She noticed Shippou and Miroku sitting by the fire and turned to say her goodbyes.

"Sayonara," she said with a wave of her hand. She strode to the door. "I'm going home for a bit, alright?"

Shippou jumped to his feet. "Will you be back soon?" the kitsune asked anxiously.

Kagome smiled gently at him. Shippou never did like it when she left. "Hai. I just need to go home for a bit." She walked through the open doorway. "Bye bye Shippou!" she called back.

When Kagome had reached the well, Inuyasha had already been there, waiting for her. He snatched her bag from her.

"Keh," he mumbled, "You really shouldn't carry around such a heavy bag."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to carry it, you know."

"Feh."

The two jumped into the well, and were transported to Kagome's time.

---

Inuyasha leapt out of the well, landing on the ground of the small room with a light thud. He instantly turned to help Kagome climb out of the hole. He grabbed onto her arms, and she clutched onto his as he pulled her from the well.

"Arigato, Inuyasha," the girl said with a smile. She began to make her way to her house. Kagome turned at the doorway of the small room that held the well. She smiled gently at Inuyasha. "Ja ne, Inuyasha. I'll see you in a couple of days."

Inuyasha nodded. "Hai."

And the girl was gone.

Once Kagome had left the hanyou's sight, he slowly began to creep out of the room, his golden eyes darting around, making sure that the coast was clear. Inuyasha poked his head out of the doorway, glancing at the house. He crept to the warmly-lit building, making sure that he stayed low enough not to be noticed.

Inuyasha reached the house and ducked under one of the windows. Now all he had to do was wait.

---

"I'm home!"

Kagome's cheerful voice carried through the house until it was interrupted by her mother's welcoming calls.

"Ah, Kagome! Welcome home, sweetheart!" she called, rushing to her daughter.

The girl caught her mother in a warm embrace. "Arigato, Mama," she whispered.

"Why don't you go take a bath and get cleaned up?" the woman suggested. "I'll have dinner ready when you get out." She smiled sweetly at Kagome.

Kagome nodded, returning the smile. "Ariga-" Something caught Kagome's attention. Were those… _dog ears _that she just saw in the window? Kagome shook away the thought and ran upstairs, anticipating the warm bath that awaited her.

---

Inuyasha ducked lower, hoping that Kagome hadn't seen him. He heard her footsteps clambering upstairs and rose to peer into the window. Kagome's mother was now preparing dinner, slicing vegetables and whatnot. This was the perfect opportunity.

Inuyasha crawled quickly and quietly to the front door. He pushed it open and crept into the house, making a beeline for the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi didn't hear him enter.

"Oi, Mrs. Higurashi," the hanyou muttered nervously. His ears went flat against his head in a submissive stance.

The woman turned around and almost instantly brightened at the sight of him. She smiled warmly. "Why, hello, Inuyasha!" She said, "Kagome just went to go get cleaned up, but you can wait if you-"

"No, Mrs. Higurashi," Inuyasha said quickly, "I needed to talk to _you_."

Kagome's mother looked taken aback by this remark, but smiled affectionately. She pulled a chair out from under the table and sat. "Well, whatever you need, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head as he paced back and forth in the small kitchen. "Well, um…" He thought for a moment. "Kagome asked me to tolo, and-"

"Oh, she did!" the woman exclaimed, catching Inuyasha off guard. "That's wonderful!"

"Um, yeah," the hanyou sputtered, "But, I don't really know anything about tolo… um… could you maybe help me… get… prepared? Or something…" Inuyasha stared at the ceiling. God, this was awkward…

Kagome's mother continued to smile brightly. "Why, of course, Inuyasha! And, I'm sure that Kagome's grandfather would love to help, too."

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief, letting his shoulders drop.

"Come by tomorrow when Kagome's at school," the woman continued, "We'll help you get ready while she's away. Maybe we can even teach you how to dance!" She grinned.

Inuyasha smiled appreciatively at Mrs. Higurashi. "Thanks," he muttered, making his way for the door. He stopped and turned to Kagome's mother. "Um, could you not tell Kagome that I was here?"

"Sure thing," she said, "It'll be our little secret." The woman winked.

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed as he crept out of Kagome's house. He strode to the small shed where the well was. The hanyou stopped at the door and stared up at the starless sky. He smiled up at the dark clouds and then strode to the well. He was about to jump in when a thought hit him. Inuyasha snickered.

_Won't Kagome be surprised when she finds out that I know how to dance!_ The hanyou jumped into the well, disappearing into the darkness.

.-.-.

Author's notes: and the 8th chapter is DONE! Hazah! sorry it's so short, though. I'm slowly losing inspiration for this fic. Xx Anyway, thank you all so very much for your reviews. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. ;


	9. Chapter 9

**Dance With Me**

**Chapter 9**

            Rays of golden sunlight peeked through the grey, thunderous clouds, marking what would be the arrival of spring within the next month.  The distinct sound of birds chirping pricked a certain hanyou's ears, the white appendages on his head twitching in the direction of the interference.

            Inuyasha stared at the cloudy sky, holding his arm over his face as to shield his eyes from the sun that shone through.  _Can I go now…? _He wondered, still staring up at the sky.  Though the clouds hid it well, the sun had been up for about an hour now, sending small glimpses of light down to earth every so often.  The hanyou shot a glance to the well that was just meters away.  Would Kagome be at school already?  Inuyasha considered this question for a moment before diving into the well.  He was positive.

---

            Kagome pushed a wad of rice past her lips, chewing and swallowing the food quickly.  _I'm going to be late!_  The girl set her rice bowl by the sink, shouting a quick thank you to her mother.

            "Thanks for breakfast, Mama!" the schoolgirl called, running to the door.  "Sayonara!"

            Kagome leaned against the wall, holding onto it for support as she slipped her shoes on.  She grabbed a navy blue sweater, pulled it over her head and then knocked her toes against the floor, making sure the shoes were on properly.  The girl flew through the door, racing in the direction of her school.  _I'm going to be late…_  The thought continued to shout in the depths of her mind as she ran.  So much so that she didn't notice the white-haired hanyou standing by the well as she ran by.

---

            Inuyasha stared at the girl as she passed, his mouth agape.  When he saw the flicker of her raven hair against the snow and wind, he was sure that he'd be caught.  But, instead of seeing him and interrogating him, she had just run past.

            The hanyou blew a stream of air through his lips, letting his shoulders droop slightly.  Well, he was past Kagome.  Now, onward to preparation for Tolo.  Inuyasha sighed, heading in the direction of Kagome's house.  To be honest, he was quite nervous.  What if he tried to dance and wasn't any good at it?  What if he couldn't find the proper clothes to wear to Tolo?  The hanyou's mind swirled with doubt.

            But all thoughts instantly faded when he saw Kagome's mom smiling warmly at him.

            "Good morning, Inuyasha!" she called through the kitchen window, beaming brilliantly at him.  "Come on inside and we'll get started!"  She added an unnecessary giggle, making her appear younger than she truly was.

            Inuyasha blushed slightly and trotted to the back door.  He cautiously pushed it open, wondering if anyone in the house was still asleep.  The hanyou crept into the kitchen where Kagome's mother resided.  The woman was now facing the sink, washing some spare dishes from breakfast.  But, upon Inuyasha's arrival, she turned and smiled brightly at him.  Inuyasha's face flushed once again, embarrassed by the woman's kindness.  He was too busy blushing, however, to notice a small boy run up to him and latch onto his legs.

            "Inu-onichan!" Souta cried happily, hugging the hanyou's legs.

            Inuyasha's face flushed to a deeper shade of red as he tried to pry the boy off of his legs.  Although separated from his beloved dog demon friend, the boy still smiled.

            "Are you here to see Kagome?  She already left for school-"

            "No, Souta," Mrs. Higurashi interjected, speaking to the boy with a kind voice. "We're going to help him get ready for Tolo."

            Souta's tapped his bottom lip in remembrance.  "Oh yeah!  Can I help?"  He gave his mother a pleading look, but she shook her head, her hand at her hip.

            "No, you need to go to school," she said sharply, giving the boy a piercing look.  She looked at a round thing on the wall that Kagome had told Inuyasha was called a 'clock.'  "Speaking of which," she continued, shoving a small bag into the boy's hands.  "You need to get going or you'll be late!"

            Souta shot his mother a defeated look and grunted his argument as he walked to the door.

            "Sayonara, Souta!" Mrs. Higurashi called to her son, turning back to Inuyasha once she had.  "Alright, Inuyasha…"  She gave him a once-over that made Inuyasha feel very uneasy.  His ears flattened against his head.

            "We'll need to find you a tux!" she declared, throwing her arms into the air.

            Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, his ears pressed forward curiously.  "A _tux_?" he asked in a confused tone.  "What's a _tux_?"

            Kagome's mother giggled slightly.  "A tuxedo.  It's a suit- something you wear for formal occasions."

            Inuyasha nodded knowingly, though he really didn't have a clue.  "Ano, I don't have any _tuxedios_."

            Mrs. Higurashi giggled again, placing her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.  "It's a _tuxedo._  And I'm sure we can find one for you.  Just let me find Kagome's grandpa, and I'll be right back."  The woman shot Inuyasha a delicate smile before jogging up the stairs in search for Kagome's grandfather.

            A sigh slipped through Inuyasha's lips.  He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling in thought.  _Well, this is going to be strange…_  The hanyou's ears flattened against his head as he blushed, thinking about Tolo.  There were so many things he had to learn: how to dance, how to act… What if he didn't learn them in time?

            "Inuyasha."

            Inuyasha turned and looked down upon hearing the somewhat edgy voice of Kagome's grandfather.

            "Hai?"

            "Come with me."

            The old man gave Inuyasha a penetrating stare before turning and limping down the hall.  The hanyou followed without objection, padding quietly after the old man.  Kagome's grandfather made a sudden turn, walking into a room that Inuyasha had never seen before.

            Golden eyes roamed over the room, taking in every aspect; the faded yellow paint on the walls, the wooden bureau on the other side of the room, even the glass vase of wilting roses.  But one thing in particular caught Inuyasha's attention.  A shrine.  There was a small shrine in the corner of the room.  The hanyou tilted his head in curiosity.

            Kagome's grandfather must have noticed Inuyasha's curious expression.  "That's for Kagome's father."

            Inuyasha shot a glance at the old man, and then returned his gaze to the shrine.  It was covered in a fine layer of dust, indicating that nobody had visited it recently.

            Suddenly, a squeaking sound reached Inuyasha's ears, causing him to turn around in search of the noise.  The wooden bureau was open, and something lay inside…

            "A tux?" Inuyasha heard himself ask innocently.

            "Hai," Kagome's grandpa responded, removing the black clothing from the bureau.  "This was Kagome's father's.  He was about your size, so this should fit…"

            Fifteen minutes and a confused hanyou later, Inuyasha had been stripped of his hakama and forced into the tuxedo.  He stared into the mirror on the inside of the bureau door, a bemused expression on his face.

            "Is it supposed to be this tight?"  He tugged at the collar.

            "Yes, yes, it fits you perfectly," Kagome's grandfather said, seemingly very pleased with the outcome.  "You'll get used to it in no time."

            "I don't know if I want to get used to it…" Inuyasha grumbled inaudibly, pulling at the sleeves of the tux.

            "Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome's grandfather called to the hanyou from the door.  Inuyasha noticed a small smirk on his wrinkled face.  "We have dancing to do."

---

            Kagome sat at her desk and sighed, a piece of her raven hair twirled around her finger.  She had almost forgotten something very important about school:  That when it wasn't hard, it was boring.  She yawned and dropped her head into her hand.  That was when she felt something prodding at the back of her head.  She turned in her seat, rubbing the back of her head slightly.

            "Did you ask that jealous, cheating boyfriend to Tolo?"

            Kagome stared her friend, Eri, with curious brown eyes.  _What the hell is she- Oh, she means Inuyasha! _The schoolgirl remembered with a slight smile.  But her innocent smile almost instantly gave way to a sly smirk as she looked upon her curious friend.

            "You'll see…" And with that vague remark, Kagome turned back around in her chair, trying her hardest to pretend that she was interested in geometry, which, of course, she wasn't.

---

            Inuyasha followed Kagome's grandfather towards the living room, his heart beating quickly, his hands clenching and unclenching anxiously.  He tugged at the collar of the tuxedo for about the millionth time in the past hour.  Dance.  Now he had to learn to dance.  The hanyou crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep himself from fidgeting too much as he strode into the living room.  His golden eyes surveyed the small room, noticing that all of the furniture had been pushed against the walls.

            "Inuyasha."

            The hanyou jumped slightly at the sound of the voice, for he hadn't seen Kagome's mother approach him.

            "My, don't you look handsome!" She chimed, smiling sweetly at the boy.

            Inuyasha blushed slightly, mumbling his thanks as the woman laughed softly and took one of his clawed hands in her pale ones, pulling him to the middle of the room.  Inuyasha let himself be led by her, a light blush still painting his cheeks.

            "Shall we dance?" the woman asked with a smile and another feathery laugh.

            Inuyasha's blush deepened to a shade of scarlet.  His ears went back slightly as he responded.  "Ano, sure…"

            Another giggle erupted from Mrs. Higurashi's lips.  "Now, Inuyasha," she said with feigned seriousness, "You'll have to loosen up and relax or it'll make dancing all the more difficult."

            _Easy for you to say,_ the hanyou thought with a snort.  _You're not wearing a tuxedo._  But, he didn't bring up this argument to Kagome's mother.  She was doing him a huge favor; the least he could do was be appreciative and bear with it.  Inuyasha gave the woman a slight nod.

            "So, um, how does this work?" he asked uncertainly, shuffling his feet.  He dropped his arms at his side, letting them hang there as he remembered Mrs. Higurashi's advice.

            "Well, we'll need some music."  She shot a glance at Kagome's grandfather, and Inuyasha saw him nod.  The old man shuffled over to a nearby table where some sort of strange contraption resided.  The hanyou gave it a puzzled glance as Kagome's grandpa began to toy with it; turning dials, flipping switches, and pressing buttons.

            Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head as high-pitched sounds and voices began emitting from the machine, sending out wavelengths of music that Inuyasha met with surprise.  He stared at the contraption for a moment, wondering how such a thing could contain sound, when he noticed that Mrs. Higurashi was speaking.

            "Next one, Grandpa," she said to the old man.  "I can't teach Inuyasha how to waltz if we're listening to Ayumi Hamasaki, now."  She gave the man a gentle smile that he returned.  He pressed another button and a new type of music began to flow out; a softer, gentler piece that was soothing to Inuyasha and didn't attack his ears as much as the last one had.

            The hanyou stared at the music box a moment longer before turning back to Mrs. Higurashi.  She held out her hand.  "Now, Inuyasha, take my right hand in your left."  He did so, blushing all the while.  "And put your other hand on my waist."

            Inuyasha's ears pressed forward instantly, his cheeks turning bright red, revealing his embarrassment.

            "N-nani?" He asked, just to make sure that he had heard correctly.

            Mrs. Higurashi giggled.  "Just out your hand on my waist, Inuyasha," she said kindly, "I promise I won't bite."

            Inuyasha's cheeks flushed again, but he did as he was told, tentatively placing a clawed hand on the woman's waist.

            And from that point, Inuyasha learned to dance.  He let himself be led around the room by Mrs. Higurashi as they danced, spinning in slow circles every now and then.  At first he had felt extremely awkward, moving around has delicately and slowly as possible, when almost everything he had ever needed to do relied on brute force and speed.

At first, Inuyasha was taught how to waltz, as Mrs. Higurashi thought it would be the easiest.  This was very true, seeing as how Inuyasha had each step down perfectly within an hour.  The hanyou had beamed with pride once he had done so, a wide grin growing on his face.

But, beyond the waltz, was another equally intriguing dance called the 'foxtrot.'  Inuyasha was sure that Shippou would be interested by the name.  But, further, beyond the foxtrot, were even more types of dance.  Inuyasha learned the polka, and the tango; the foxtrot, and the waltz.  In fact, around noon, the hanyou began to wonder if Kagome even knew how to do these complex dances.

            At two o'clock, however, both Inuyasha and Mrs. Higurashi were exhausted and most certainly done with dancing for the day.  The hanyou dropped to the carpeted ground, rubbing his aching feet.  Kagome's mother laughed softly at his antics and began to walk out of the room.

"I'll go get us something to drink," she said as she left.

Inuyasha smiled at the woman's retreating back, suddenly overwhelmed by a sensation of gratitude.  He knew how to dance!  He actually did!  And so well, that maybe even better than Kagome!  The hanyou swelled with pride, a satisfied 'keh' emitting from his lips as he crossed his legs and raised his head.

"Oi, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's ego-trip was interrupted by the voice of Kagome's grandfather; the said man now walking up to the hanyou with a box in his wrinkled hands.  Inuyasha's white ears perked up as he looked at the box, curiosity glimmering in his amber eyes.

Kagome's grandfather kneeled in front of Inuyasha, placing the on the ground and removing the lid.  Inside, there were two shiny black objects that the hanyou could only assume were more pieces of their strange clothing.  He groaned.

            The old man pulled the objects out of the box and handed them to Inuyasha.

            "Here are some shoes," he said as the hanyou began to turn them in his hands, inspecting them from every angle possible.  The said hanyou sniffed them gently, his nose scrunching up when a strong scent of leather reached it.

            "They're probably different from what you're used to."  He shot a glance at the bottom of the hanyou's dirt-covered feet.  "But you'll need to wear them to Tolo."

            Inuyasha nodded, setting one of the shoes down as he proceeded to put the other one on his foot.  His mother had made him wear shoes once when he was younger.  They were nothing like these ones, but shoes nonetheless.

            Finally, the shoes were on, and the hanyou stood to make sure they worked properly.  What they were supposed to do, however, was far beyond him.

            Once Inuyasha rose to his feet, a quiet growl rose in his throat.  He _definitely_ did not like these shoes.  They fit fine, leaving just enough room for his toes, but he couldn't feel the ground beneath him.  Inuyasha took a couple of cautious steps, inching less than a foot forward.  These shoes would definitely take time to get used to.

            "The shoes might be uncomfortable at first," Kagome's grandfather said, as if reading Inuyasha's mind, "But you'll get used to them.  Take them to your time and wear them as often as you can.  So long as you don't get them dirty, that is."

            Inuyasha nodded, staring down at his concealed feet.  He took a few more steps, trying to wear in the shoes as much as possible.  In fact, as he felt his confidence shoot up, he felt the shoes breaking down beneath him.  The hanyou grinned.

---

Kagome sighed deeply, letting her bangs fall over her eyes as she tossed her knapsack over her shoulder.  She walked to the door, striding slowly past all of her chattering peers as another sigh escaped her lips.  The schoolgirl was just about to exit her school, her spirits beginning to lift at the thought of the school day being over, when three figures jumped into her path.

"Ano, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi…" she said, running a delicate hand through her jet-black hair, "I'm really tired."  She feigned a yawn for the sake of her argument.  "I need to go home."

Yuka crossed her arms sullenly.  "No until you tell us about your date for Tolo."  Ayumi also crossed her arms, trying to look sulkier than she really did.

"How do you even know I have a date?" Kagome asked, getting slightly agitated.  "Maybe I don't."

"You have a date for Tolo, Higurashi-San?"

Kagome jolted slightly at the sound of the unexpected voice.  She turned to see a wide-eyed, curious looking Hojo standing next to her.

"Um, I…" she stammered, a light blush rushing over her face.

"Ha!" Yuka sounded, pointing a finger at Kagome.  "She does then!"

"Wh-what?!" Kagome asked, leaning in towards her friend.  Her fists clenched at her sides.  "I didn't say anything!"

"You stuttered," Yuka chimed in with a sly smirk.  "That's enough proof for us."

"Who's the lucky guy, Higurashi?" Hojo asked sweetly.

"Ah, um…" Kagome stammered again.  "You don't know him-"

"Ohhh," Eri's voice said in a drawling tone.  "You asked that jealous, two-timing boyfriend of yours, didn't you?"

"Higurashi-San has a boyfriend?"  Hojo was now speaking to her friends, no longer Kagome herself.  _So much for going straight to the source,_ she thought sourly, glaring at the group.

"Yeah, but not a very good one," Eri said with a snort, crossing her arms.  "You'd run circles around him, Hojo-"

"Nani?!" Kagome asked loudly, perplexed by her friends lack of loyalty.  Her face was now a deep, brick red.  "I do not have a boyfriend!"

Eri cowered slightly.  "But you said-"

"I didn't _say_ anything!"  Kagome glared at her friends for a moment longer before letting out a long sigh.  "I need to go home…"

Kagome brushed past her friends, ignoring their questions as she walked out of the school.  She sighed, inhaling a sweet breath of cold, winter air as she trotted down the front steps, her heels clicking on the concrete.

_Just what I need,_ she thought pessimistically, _an interrogation from my friends and an offended Hojo._ The schoolgirl sighed, glad that she was finally going home.  That the madness of today had ended.

---

            Inuyasha gratefully took the cup from Mrs. Higurashi, taking a sip of the cool, refreshing water.  "Arigato," he mumbled.  He rolled his shoulders, ecstatic that he was now back in his comfortable hakama.  The hanyou smiled, taking another sip.

            However, on the water's slow descent down his throat, it came back up.  All at the sound of a familiar voice.

            "Mama?" came Kagome's gentle, but tired sounding voice.  Inuyasha could hear her soft footsteps as she walked through the hall.  "I'm home!"

            Inuyasha, Mrs. Higurashi, and Kagome's grandfather all froze, casting each other nervous glances.  Inuyasha quickly leapt to his feet, searching for a quick way out, and found one; a window on the far side of the room.

            The hanyou ran to it, snatching up the box of shoes as he did so, and quickly pulled it open.  He was about to dive through when he heard Mrs. Higurashi's voice.

            "Inuyasha," she called quietly, her voice in a near whisper.  "I forgot to tell you: At Tolo, you'll be leading Kagome, so you'll need to know the steps."

            Inuyasha nodded.  And with that, he jumped through the window, landing on the ground in a run.  He ran swiftly and quietly through the shrine, making a beeline for the well.  The hanyou was finally there, staring down into the hole that led to his home.  And then, with a flick of his silver hair, he was gone, disappearing into the darkness.

---

            Kagome walked into the living room, an eyebrow cocked at what she saw.

            "Ano, Mama…" she started, "Why is all of the furniture against the wall?"         

            Kagome's mother smiled warmly at her daughter.  "Oh, just doing a little cleaning."

            "Hmm…" Kagome shrugged, turning and walking out of the room.  She jogged up the stairs and stepped into her room, closing the door behind her.  Once in her room, leaving all politeness and grace behind, she dropped facedown onto her bed, burying her face in the clean-smelling sheets.

---

            Kagome looked around at the various stores on either side of her, her brown eyes searching for something in particular.  The girl suddenly noticed the course of her journey, her shoulders drooping slightly.  She rolled her eyes, and sighed.

            "I can't believe I let you drag me out here…" she groaned, letting herself be led into yet _another_ dress shop.

            "Well, we have to find you a dress, some way or another," piped up Yuka.

            "Yeah," chimed Eri, "Even if you _are_ going with that jerk boyfriend."

            Kagome gave another roll of her eyes, sighing again.  "How do you even know I'm going with him?" She asked.  "How do you even know I'm going at all?"

            Ayumi made a tutting sound with her tongue.  "Come _on,_ Kagome, it's so obvious."

            "Well, I didn't think it was that painfully obvious…" Kagome grumbled, quiet enough that her friends couldn't hear.

            "Okay!"  Eri and Yuka both shoved Kagome into the massive collection of dresses that was laid out before her.  The girl glanced back at her three friends, giving each of them an _'I really don't want to do this'_ look.  But, they just smiled, each giving her a thumbs-up.

            Kagome blew out a stream of air threw her lips and began rummaging through the dresses.  One by one, she gave them each a once-over.  The girl finally pulled out three of them, her brown eyes roaming over each, making sure that they were worthy opponents.  She took them to the nearby dressing room, closing the door behind her.

            And there, she began to try them on.  Once the first was on, Kagome backed up and gazed at her reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door.  She tilted her head to the side, seeing if it would look different from different angles.  But, no, this definitely wasn't the dress that she'd wear to Tolo.  Kagome quickly pulled off the dress and continued onto the next one.  However, just like the previous one, it didn't stand out.  It was nice, but not _'the one.'  _That left the last dress…

            Kagome pulled off the second dress and started to pull on the last one.  Once she had slipped into it, the schoolgirl once again glanced at her mirror self.  A small smile appeared on her lips, almost instantly turning into a grin as she opened the door to the dressing room.

            All at once, her friends broke into huge smiles.  Ayumi clasped her hand together.

            "Kagome-Chan!"

            Kagome smiled back at her friend, turning around so they could appreciate the full of her beautiful gown.  As she turned, the girl caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.  She stopped spinning and stared into her reflection, her brown eyes sparkling.  _This is what I'm wearing to Tolo…_ Kagome mused, a wide grin gracing her delicate face.

            More thoughts continued to swirl around in her head as she gazed at her reflection.  A light giggle erupted from her lips as she thought of how Inuyasha would react.  A faint blush graced her cheeks as she thought of the hanyou.  _This is what I'll wear when I dance with Inuyasha…_

.-.-.

Author's notes:  Okay, I didn't get very many reviews for the last chapter (sob), but I don't care- the story's drawing to a close!  And I have to say that I am very happy about that.  Not because I will no longer need to endure having an unfinished fanfic on my shoulders, but because I will have finished my first multi-chapter story! Yay!  And then I can start _Here__ Without You…_ yay again.  So, anyhoo, the next chapter is the last (I think so, anyway…), so be prepared for fluff! TO THE MAX.  XD


	10. Chapter 10

Author's notes: Took a piece of a scene from one of the episodes. Joyous, ne?

…I MISS TOLO! sniff

With a fluff fluff here, and a fluff fluff there, here a fluff, there a fluff, everywhere a fluff fluff… OO;

**Dance With Me**

**Chapter 10**

Two pieces of black leather flew through the air, the pale winter sunlight sending rays of light beaming off of them. The two objects hit a large tree with a click of their solid soles, falling and landing at the base of the trunk.

A few meters away, a silver-haired boy glared at the shoes, a deep growl of anger rising in his throat. He trudged sullenly to the objects at the base of the tree, picking them up and handling them as if they were bombs. He continued to glare at the items, his lips curling up to show pearly white fangs.

_How the hell am I supposed to get used to these things? _He wondered irately, dropping to the ground and slipping them back onto his aching feet. Inuyasha rose to his feet again, taking a few cautious steps forward. Despite his moral outrage at the idea of wearing these torture devices, he knew that he had to, for Kagome. Another low growl sounded in the hanyou's throat as he took more steps forward, being less careful about how softly he treaded. A burst of pain exploded in the balls of his feet, causing him to wince and clench his teeth.

An irritated grunt came from the hanyou's mouth as he dropped onto the ground, the pain in his feet almost instantly evaporating. Tolo was so close, and he still hadn't mastered the shoes! Nor had he mastered _dancing_ in the shoes. Inuyasha growled softly. He didn't even want to think about that.

In the midst of his brooding thoughts, Inuyasha didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

"Oi, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha hardly had time to brace himself before a small kitsune youkai leapt onto his shoulders with small grunt.

Inuyasha turned his head to face the boy. "Baka!" he shouted angrily. "Would you stop doing that?!"

"What?" Shippou asked innocently, staring into Inuyasha's golden eyes with wonder. His gaze quickly shifted, however, to the shoes on the hanyou's feet. The kitsune leapt down from his perch on Inuyasha's shoulder and began to inspect the unfamiliar objects, poking and sniffing them. His brow furrowed.

"What are they?" Shippou asked, crossing his arms as he continued to stare at the foreign items.

"Shoes from Kagome's world," Inuyasha explained. "I have to wear them for that Tolo thing."

"Ah, so Kagome-Sama has given you clothing to wear?"

Inuyasha turned to see Miroku and Sango walking towards him, the monk's eyes searching the hanyou's for any sign of an answer.

"No," the hanyou replied, slightly annoyed that he hadn't heard the two coming. "Her mother and grandfather are letting me borrow some of theirs." Miroku and Sango both nodded and sat on the ground in front of Inuyasha.

Miroku raised an eyebrow, leaning in towards the hanyou's feet. "So, you have to wear _those_?" he asked, his eyebrows still raised.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Yes," he growled, glaring at the contraptions on his feet.

Miroku stared at the shoes for a moment longer before breaking out into hysterical laughter. Inuyasha promptly responded to this action by throwing one of the shoes at the monk. Miroku, however, caught the object in his hands, and began to examine it closely. Sango leaned over to the monk, also studying the strange item.

"It looks uncomfortable," Sango commented, taking the shoe from Miroku's hands. Inuyasha grunted his response, looking at the shoe with loathing glimmering in his amber eyes.

Sango looked at the sole of the shoe and then peered inside, as if looking for something. "Ah!" she finally exclaimed, her face brightening. She dropped the object into her lap and then reached inside of her kimono, her hands digging for something near her waist. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou watched curiously as she finally pulled something out, thrusting it out into the air with a small cry of triumph.

"Aha!" she cried, holding the strange object in the air. Her gaze shifted to Inuyasha. She dropped the item in front of him, and the hanyou then realized that is was in the shape of a foot, but very thin.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked, poking at the strange foot-shape with a clawed finger. He found that it was made of a very soft substance as his finger sunk into it.

"They're gel pads. Kagome gave me a few of them a long time ago," she explained, reaching into her kimono and pulling out another. "You're supposed to put them in your shoes so your feet don't hurt." Sango smiled.

Inuyasha stared at Sango, and then at the gel pads, for a moment before a smile crawled across his face. "Can I use them for these ones?" he asked excitedly, motioning to the foot-torture devices.

Sango nodded, still smiling. "Hai."

Inuyasha grinned and took the gel pads, quickly placing them inside of his shoes. The hanyou stood and slipped his feet into the shoes, grinning even bigger than before. He took a couple steps and then turned to Sango, absolutely beaming.

"Arigato, Sango!" he shouted before turning and taking off at a run. These 'gel pads' were like magic, and the hanyou couldn't help but wonder if someone had spelled them to relieve pain. He took a leap, hitting the ground on the balls of his feet. He kept running, loving the fact that the shoes were no longer set on destroying his feet.

---

Kagome directed her brown eyes at the beautiful gown in her room, casting it a quick joy-filled glance, before she turned and jetted down the stairs. A grin spread across her face for about the millionth time that day, at the mere sight of her dress. The girl bounded to the door, still grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm going, Mama!" she shouted, picking up her knapsack and exiting through the front door.

"Sayonara, Kagome!" She heard her mom shout, and then the door swung shut, blocking out her mother's voice.

Kagome smiled, sighing lightly as she strode to the well. _Only a couple of days until Tolo_, she mused, blushing slightly. True, the anticipation was torture, but she knew it would all be worth the wait. Kagome's blush deepened, and she couldn't help but grin again. Just _thinking_ about Tolo made her giddy.

Kagome finally approached the well, trying desperately to wipe the grin off of her face. And despite how much she thought of Kikyo and geometry, it just wouldn't work. _Oh well, _she thought, diving into the well, _Inuyasha will just have to deal an over-happy Kagome for the day._

---

Inuyasha stared at the grey sky overhead, his golden eyes rolling, his hair splayed across the ground. _You moron_. The scolding words repeated in his head as he pulled himself to a sitting position, a low growl rising in chest. He glared at the shoes on his feet.

The growl eventually subsided as the hanyou remembered that it was his own fault for trying to climb a tree with shoes on. _Baka, _he chided himself silently, rising to his feet. He was about to take off running again, just to prove that he was superior over the shoes, when a sweet but loud voice pricked his inu ears. His ears twitched in the direction of the familiar voice.

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat, his eyes instantly darting to the black shoes on his feet. _Kagome's here already…?_

"Inuyasha!" the voice came again, alerting Inuyasha to the fact that the girl was coming closer. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for a place to stash the shoes. But, his efforts seemed fruitless once he realized that if he hid them anywhere in the forest, an animal or creature of some sort would come along and take them.

"Inuyasha?"

The voice was closer now, probably within sight range. Without another thought crossing his mind, Inuyasha had pulled off the shoes and shoved them inside his hakama. The rubber rubbed uncomfortably against his skin, but he did his best to ignore it.

"Inuyasha…?"

The hanyou turned to see Kagome's curious eyes staring directly into his. She tilted her head. "What are you doing out here?"

Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms and turning his head away. "Feh. None of your business."

Kagome rolled her eyes and then shrugged her shoulders, letting her backpack fall to the ground. She kneeled next to the bag, opening it and beginning to rummage through it. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and Inuyasha couldn't help but push his ears forward curiously as his eyes searched her hands for whatever object she was searching for.

"Aha!" Kagome shouted, pulling out a small bracelet of sorts with a small illuminating piece of metal attached to it. The schoolgirl turned to Inuyasha, her face becoming more serious. "This, Inuyasha," she said, holding up the foreign object, "Is a watch." Kagome noticed the hanyou's confused face and giggled gently. "It shows what time it is." She held up the round, metal piece for Inuyasha to see, and he noticed that it had illuminating numbers on it. "See?" Inuyasha nodded.

The girl smiled warmly and took Inuyasha's wrist in her hand, wrapping the weird bracelet -or _watch­­­-_ around it. Inuyasha stared at it curiously, his golden eyes filled with wonder.

"Since Tolo is coming up and all," Kagome continued, "I thought I'd better give it to you. When those numbers read seven thirty." She pointed at the glowing characters. "I want you to come through the well to my house, okay?"

Inuyasha nodded, staring intently at the watch on his wrist. He shifted his amber gaze to look at Kagome, who he found was picking up her bag, preparing to leave.

"W-Where are _you_ going?" Inuyasha sputtered, placing himself in front of her, blocking her path. "You haven't even been here for an _hour_!"

Kagome rolled her eyes again, a sigh slipping between her lips. "I need to go back home and get ready for Tolo. There's a lot to be done, you know." She nodded knowingly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Inuyasha snorted, also crossing his arms. "Whatever," he grunted, turning his head away.

Kagome smiled sweetly at him. "Sayonara, Inuyasha!" she squealed, jogging in the direction of the well. "See you in a couple of days!"

Inuyasha snorted again. "Feh."

---

Kagome smiled, a cool breeze ruffling her skirt as she skipped through the empty forest. Upon leaving the mass of trees, a familiar voice pricked the girl's ears. She trotted to the top of a nearby hill and stared down where the owner of the voice sat. Sango, however, was not alone. The demon exterminator blushed under the gaze of her companion.

"Miroku…" she said softly, lowering her eyes. The blush on her cheeks deepened. "I don't know why I feel this way about you… or how I even came to it, but the fact is… I do."

Kagome's eyes widened and she had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep from squealing out loud. She then lowered herself to the ground and continued to watch the commotion below.

The monk shifted, sitting Indian-style in front of Sango. "How long have you felt this way?" he asked, staring intently at Sango's violet eyes.**__**

****

Sango smiled wryly. "I don't really know." She brought her knees to her body and hugged them. "I've lost track of time."

Kagome shot a glance at Miroku, curious about how he would react. She saw a war waging in his eyes, his brow furrowed in thought.

"I thought you were leaving."

Kagome quickly turned around, coming face to face with Inuyasha's golden eyes. He cocked an eyebrow.

"Shh!" Kagome hissed, placing a finger in front of her lips. She quickly grabbed hold of the bemused hanyou's wrist and pulled him onto the ground.

"Baka-"

Kagome placed a hand over his mouth before he could continue. "Shh!" she whispered again. The hanyou's eyes flared, but he said nothing. Kagome rolled her eyes and motioned to the other side of the hill where Sango and Miroku sat.

Inuyasha's ears twitched in the direction of the voices, and both he and Kagome peered over to watch the conversation take place.

"Sango…"

"I don't expect you to feel the same way," she said with a weary smile, "But-"

The demon exterminator's words were cut short when she was pulled into a fast hug, being wrapped up in Miroku's arms.

Kagome worked quickly to muffle another loud squeal, clasping both hands over her mouth. Inuyasha jumped slightly at the girl's reaction and watched her with confused golden eyes. Kagome ignored the hanyou's stare and continued to watch the action below.

Sango's eyes widened as she was pulled into the embrace, her cheeks now a deep shade of scarlet.

"Sango…" Miroku said softly, "I never thought of us this way."

Kagome noticed an inaudible gasp escape through Sango's lips. The monk leaned away from the girl and stared into her wondrous eyes, his dark blue ones more enigmatic than ever.

"But, Sango…"

Sango stared up at Miroku's unreadable face, her hands clasped anxiously in front of her. Miroku placed his hands over hers.

"Will you bear my child?"

Another gasp came from Sango's lips. She stared up at Miroku, unable to move as if her shock had paralyzed her. After a moment, a small smile crept across her face.

"I will."

Miroku's eyes widened. He leaned forward, curiosity filling his surprised eyes. "You will?"

Sango cocked her head to the side, still smiling gently. "Hai."

Miroku grinned, seemingly unsure of what to do next. He quickly realized, however, exactly what he was supposed to do. He leaned forward, cupping Sango's face in his hands, and placed his lips over hers.

---

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed as he watched the display of human affection below. He heard Kagome let out yet _another_ squeal. The hanyou turned his head to see the schoolgirl grinning from ear to ear, a delicate blush painting her cheeks. She turned to look at Inuyasha, a smile still inhabiting her face.

As their eyes met, Inuyasha couldn't help but blush. He felt heat in his cheeks and averted his eyes, looking away from the girl in front of him.

"Well," came the girl's quiet voice. "I'll see you in a couple of days, Inuyasha."

The hanyou looked up to see Kagome inching her way down the hill and towards the well. She smiled warmly at him.

"Ja ne!"

---

The following couple of days inched by slowly, as if carried on the backs of snails. And if the slow days weren't enough to eat away at both Kagome and Inuyasha, the anticipation and anxiety that led up to Tolo surely was.

In the late afternoon, on the seventh of February, Kagome found herself staring out of her window, her brown eyes roaming over the powdery snow that lay on the shrine grounds. Her little brother, Souta, was bounding through the white abyss, kicking up the snow around him. A small smile appeared on Kagome's pale face as she watched the little boy's antics.

The girl's gaze shifted to look to the sky, where a multitude of color was displayed as if on the palate of the earth. Pale blues and shades of violet painted the sky, with the occasional pink jetting across the billowing clouds. A delicate sigh left Kagome's lips as she dropped her head into her hands, still watching the sunset.

After another glorious carefree moment, Kagome pulled her eyes away from the setting sun and turned to look at the clock by her bedside. The hands both pointed to six, alerting Kagome to the fact that she needed to get ready for Tolo.

After making sure that the door was closed, Kagome walked to her closet and opened the doors, her face brightening the instant she saw her dress. She pulled the beautiful garment off of its hanger and laid it gently on her bed as she proceeded to get undressed.

Without another passing moment, Kagome had been stripped of her regular clothes. The girl picked up her dress and pulled it over her head. She shimmied into the dress, letting it slide over her form, and then pulled it down; making sure it wasn't wrinkled or harmed in any way.

Seeing as how the dress was unharmed, Kagome decided to take one more look at herself in the dress before she continued to get prepared for the night ahead. The girl slowly opened her door, poking her head outside. Brown eyes darted from one end of the hall to the other before she jetted out of her room and into the bathroom.

Kagome quietly closed the door behind her, and then turned to gaze at her reflection.

A young girl of fifteen stared back. Her wavy, raven hair fell to her shoulders, covering the pale skin that was now revealed. A delicate blush painted the girl's cheeks as she turned this way and that, trying to get a better look at herself. Brown eyes sparkled happily as she took in the whole of herself. Grinning, blushing, and altogether gloating, Kagome cast her reflection before diving into the make-up bag by the sink.

Long, graceful fingers unzipped the pink bag and began shuffling through the random objects inside. They knocked away the random lipsticks and eye-shadows until the owner found what she had been looking for. Kagome pulled out a tube of mascara and a stick of pink lip gloss.

True, Kagome had never been one to wear make-up, but for a special occasion like this, sticking to the norm didn't seem like a possibility. The girl unscrewed the tube of mascara and gave the small, black brush a penetrating stare. She proceeded to put the brush up to her eyelashes, successfully jabbing herself in the eye with the said brush.

And thus went her experience with make-up.

---

Inuyasha cast another anxious glance at the contraption at his wrist. His golden eyes read the numbers, waiting for them to change.

_A watched pot will never boil…_ The old rule of thumb rang in his head, but he quickly reminded himself that pots don't boil.

Inuyasha let a sigh slip through his lips and dropped his head, silver bangs falling over his eyes. _Should I go now? _He wondered silently, staring at the watch again. The numbers read six forty-five, but what was the harm in coming a little early? _Nothing, _Inuyasha replied mentally, _as long as Kagome doesn't see me._

The hanyou then proceeded to walk towards the well, a small smile appearing on his lips. He patted the side of his kimono where his shoes resided; making sure that he hadn't lost them.

Inuyasha's smile widened into a grin as he threw his head up and aimed his confidence towards the sky. Tolo would be a piece of cake, as he so often found Kagome's people saying. It would be simple.

With one last confident 'keh,' and a toss of his silver hair, Inuyasha jumped into the well, ready to face what lay on the other side.

Once the hanyou had appeared in Kagome's world, he had quickly trotted over to the back door, making sure to stay low to the ground so as not to be seen. His jaw was set, and his amber eyes were determined, ready for the night ahead.

Inuyasha finally reached the back door of Kagome's house. He didn't bother to knock, fearing that the slightest sound might catch Kagome's attention. And as the hanyou crept through the house, he came across Kagome's cat. And as if on cue, the cat began to meow loudly, a deep rumbling sound rising in his throat and emitting through his mouth.

Inuyasha quickly dropped to the ground and placed a hand over the cat's mouth, but to no avail. The feline continued to produce sound, deep growls rumbling in his chest. Inuyasha pulled his hand away, hoping that if he let the cat go it would be quiet.

And as if for convenience's sake, the cat continued to meow. Even _louder_, this time.

Apparently, all of the noise that the cat was creating had caught someone's attention upstairs. Inuyasha's ears tweaked as he heard a door creak open and footsteps approach the top of the stairs.

"Buyo!" called a familiar voice. "Be quiet!"

The door slammed, and Inuyasha's ears drooped, a sigh of relief leaving him.

Luckily, the cat's consistent meowing had caught the attention of someone other than Kagome. Mrs. Higurashi walked out of the kitchen, her eyes full of curiosity. Her face almost instantly brightened at the sight of Inuyasha.

"Oh, Inuyasha," she said happily, "I'm glad you're early. Let's go get you ready, okay?"

Inuyasha nodded gently and allowed the woman to lead him into the room where the tuxedo was. She stopped at the doorway and stood to the side, allowing Inuyasha entrance.

"Come out when you're done," she whispered, not wanting to attract her daughter's attention from upstairs, "And I'll help you get everything else all ready."

Inuyasha nodded as the woman smiled and closed the door. Once the door had clicked shut, Inuyasha began to peel off his haori, and then his hakama. The hanyou strode to the wooden chest where the tuxedo was kept and opened the doors, staring inside at the black garment.

With a sigh and a roll of his golden eyes, Inuyasha took the clothing in a tentative grip and proceeded to put them on. Fortunately, Inuyasha found that putting the tuxedo on was easier the second time around than it was the first.

With the black garment now covering the hanyou's body, Inuyasha carefully pushed the door open, his golden eyes peering outside before he actually stepped out of the room. He walked into the kitchen, creeping on tiptoes.

Mrs. Higurashi, who stood by the sink, suddenly became aware of Inuyasha's presence, and turned to greet him. As she took in the full of Inuyasha's form, she grinned widely, her brown eyes glimmering with delight.

"My, oh my, don't you look handsome?"

Inuyasha shifted his weight uncomfortably, unsure of whether or not to answer the question. Luckily, he didn't have to.

"Come, now," the woman said cheerfully, once again leading him to some unknown part of the house. "There's still more work to be done!"

Inuyasha gulped, unable to keep himself from worrying about this 'work that had to be done.'

---

Having won the battle with the mascara brush, Kagome found that putting on make-up wasn't that bad. The lip gloss smelled good, and the once painful mascara made her eyes stand out magnificently. The girl took a step back and admired her reflection once again. _Hmm…Something's missing…_ Kagome tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully, wondering what she could have forgotten.

"Ah!" she said aloud, pulling out a drawer from under the sink. She stared into the compartment, digging through random hair-scrunchies and clips as she searched for something in particular.

Not long after the search had started, it was over, and Kagome had found what she needed to complete her outfit. The girl pulled the item out of the drawer and placed it on the top of her head, wiggling it into her hair.

Kagome took another look at herself in the mirror and beamed at her reflection. She was ready. She had overcome the obstacles; the make-up, the dress, the date. And now she was finally ready.

She was prepared for Tolo.

.-.-.

Author's notes: To be continued! ::cackles evilly::


	11. Chapter 11

****

Dance With Me

Chapter 11

After gazing at her refection for a moment longer, Kagome crept back to her room, once again closing the door behind her. The girl glided smoothly to the window at the opposite end of her bedroom and stared out, admiring the darkness that had fallen over the land. She sighed deeply and then inhaled a breath of sweet, winter air.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Kagome turned quickly, jolted slightly by the abrupt sound.

"Yes?" she called uncertainly.

"Kagome, are you ready, sweetie?" came her mother's soft voice. "Inuyasha's here."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, and she felt heat rising in her cheeks. "Alright," she called through the door, trying to conceal her nervousness. "I'm coming out then."

Footsteps on the other side of the wall were her only responses as Kagome crept to the door and opened it cautiously. The girl slid out of her room, her legs suddenly feeling weak. She strode to the stairwell and started her descent, holding onto the bar for support.

As Kagome walked down, her first glimpse of Inuyasha was a pair of black shoes under black pants. And, as the girl continued her descent, she saw more and more of Inuyasha.

Once halfway down the staircase, Kagome could see him completely. Her breath hitched in her throat.

Inuyasha wore a black tuxedo and black shoes to match. His once wild and knotted mane had been brushed through, making it fall in a soft wave down his back. His ears twitched curiously as he heard Kagome's footsteps.

---

Inuyasha's golden eyes met Kagome's brown ones, and the hanyou found himself gawking at the girl.

Her school clothes had been cast away, and a long, sleek black dress now appeared in their place. The dress fell just past her ankles, and had thin straps at the top that revealed more of her pale skin.

Inuyasha continued to stare, a light blush now tingeing his cheeks, as Kagome smiled softly at him, her eyes twinkling gently. She took another step downstairs, and Inuyasha noticed how unstable she looked. _If I'm nervous, then what is she? _He found himself wondering as she continued to walk down the steps, trembling slightly.

Then, Inuyasha's golden eyes honed in on the movement of her feet. As she took another step down the staircase, her foot narrowly missed the stair, sending her flying forward. Inuyasha didn't waste another precious moment before he reacted. He quickly ran to the bottom of the staircase and caught her, his arms wrapping reflexively around her waist.

Kagome shyly lifted her head from its place on his chest and stared into Inuyasha's amber eyes.

"Ano…" Her blush deepened, and Inuyasha found himself blushing as well. He lifted his gaze from her brown eyes and stared at something sticking out of her hair…

---

Kagome had just gotten her footing on the ground when Inuyasha jumped back, staring at the top of her head. He threw a hand out and pointed at two appendages sticking out of Kagome's hair.

"What is that?!" he asked, still keeping a safe distance between himself and the mutated Kagome.

Kagome giggled softly and raised a delicate hand to touch the black cat ears on her head. She tugged gently and pulled the ears out, causing a yelp of surprise to come out of Inuyasha's mouth.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha," she said, suppressing a giggle. "These aren't real. It's just for decoration. See?"

Kagome held out the neko-ears headband for the hanyou to see. He leaned forward and sniffed them gently.

"They don't smell like cat…" he said, still perplexed by the strange object.

Kagome laughed softly. "They're not." The girl put them back into her hair. "They just make me look like one."

---

Inuyasha blushed involuntarily as Kagome gave him a playful wink. And then a strange thought entered Inuyasha's mind. He found that… that… that with cat ears, Kagome actually looked…

Cute.

Inuyasha blushed even more at this thought, his cheeks now burning dully.

"Oh, don't you two look adorable!"

Inuyasha and Kagome turned to see a squealing Mrs. Higurashi behind them. She held a strange object in her hand, one that Kagome had told Inuyasha was called a 'camera.'

"Oh!" the woman cried happily, "Let's take some pictures!"

"Mama…" Kagome said softly in protest, but to no avail. Inuyasha and Kagome were soon ushered to the front by Kagome's brother and grandfather. They stood there both blushing like mad as Kagome's mother demanded that they smile.

Inuyasha shot a sideways glance at Kagome and noticed a gleeful smile on her face. She really did look beautiful…

At this revelation, Inuyasha smiled as well. And, then, there was a flash of light. Inuyasha swaggered back a couple of steps, blinking wildly, trying to get to spots in his vision to go away.

Once the hanyou had recovered from the barrage of light, Kagome's mother snapped a few more photos, claiming that each one was cuter than the one prior.

Once Mrs. Higurashi had had her fill of photography, Kagome shot Inuyasha an apologetic glance, accompanied by a sweet smile.

"Ready for Tolo?" she asked, her eyes softening.

Inuyasha smiled shyly, blushing gently. He nodded his response, and then the two were off, heading for the wonder that was Tolo.

---

It didn't take long for Kagome and Inuyasha to reach the school. And even if it had taken a long time, neither of them would have noticed. The chill air had surrounded them the instant they left the house; and it was a feeling that they had greeted with pleasure.

The winter air was crisp and still, holding no sign of commotion until Inuyasha and Kagome had arrived at the girl's school.

Inuyasha gawked at the school before swallowing the knot in his throat. An unfathomable number of students littered the walkway to the school, each one dressed in some sort of formal wear.

"Feh," Inuyasha found himself muttering. _None of these people could even hold a candle to Kagome…_

The schoolgirl turned to him, curious brown eyes searching his. "Did you say something, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's cheeks flushed as he shook his head. "No," he replied snidely, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

He heard Kagome's soft laughter as he felt her arm link with his, her pale skin seeming to glow against the black cloth. The girl offered a sweet smile and tilted her head.

"Shall we?"

Inuyasha looked at the school. The building seemed to have music seeping out of it, as well as Kagome's schoolmates. Would Inuyasha be able to act properly? Would he remember his dance steps? What if he made a mistake?

The hanyou's ears flattened against his head involuntarily, a deep blush painting his cheeks.

"Hey, cool ears!"

Inuyasha blushed and turned to see the owner of the voice. A boy of about Kagome's age with black hair and bright green eyes looked back. Inuyasha blushed even more. Since when were his inu ears _'cool'_?

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha whipped his head to the side to meet Kagome's gaze. She smiled warmly. "Come on."

The girl then made her way to the school, walking with ease and confidence as the hanyou trailed slightly behind her, still attached to her arm.

Kagome and Inuyasha strode up to the school, pressing through the large doors and then making their way through the crowd inside. The front hall was filled to the brim with teenagers around Kagome's age, all flashing some animal tribute on their outfits.

Inuyasha shot a glance to each of these people, wondering if any of their animal traits were real. He saw one girl with short, chestnut hair wearing panda ears that seemed pretty convincing, and then another with bright blonde hair and fox ears. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head. He had to admit, this was pretty strange…

Before another thought could cross his mind, Kagome had pulled him into a large auditorium. Music filled this room and sent deep vibrations through the hanyou's body. He shivered slightly and then cast a glance to Kagome, who seemed perfectly fine. The girl turned to him, seeming to feel his unease and offered a sweet smile for comfort.

__

'Anata no koto wo omou sore dake de namida ga…'

The music rang in his inu ears as he stared at the girl, unsure of what to say or how to react.

__

'Ima afuredashite kuru yohakanai omoi zuttodonna toki demo negau yoanata ni todoku you ni to...'

---

Kagome grinned at the hanyou, trying to make him feel more comfortable. She knew that it must have been awkward for Inuyasha to be there; among all of these humans with the fake animal tributes. It was probably pretty confusing, as well.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?" she asked over the music, still smiling gently.

Inuyasha whipped his head around, facing away. "Of course I am," he said, feigning confidence.

A sly grin crept across Kagome's face. "Then let's go!" The girl ran out into the crowd, adding a twirl in her steps. She giggled gently and spun around again, her dress whirling around her figure like a whirlpool.

---

The girl's raven hair bounced gently as she danced, falling around her porcelain face in a black shroud. Kagome threw her arms in the air and continued to spin, causing more and more confusion for the poor hanyou. Inuyasha tilted his head curiously, watching these strange dance steps. Mrs. Higurashi hadn't taught him these ones.

Inuyasha watch Kagome's movements with a bemused expression haunting his face. He watched as Kagome closed her eyes as she danced, the girl still grinning ecstatically.

And then the hanyou watched as a boy approached her.

---

"H-Higurashi-San?"

Kagome's eyes widened at the voice and she whirled around to meet the boy's curious gaze.

"Hojo-Kun!" she cried with a surprised tone.

The boy looked around, obviously looking for her date. And then a soft smile crept across his face. "Would you like to dance?" He took Kagome's hand in his.

"I… um…" Kagome stammered, glancing back at Inuyasha. She could read the hanyou's expression, but hopefully he could read hers…

---

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he saw the boy take Kagome's hand and wrap his arm around her delicate waist. A deep growl rose in his throat, and before he knew what he was doing, Inuyasha was storming in the direction of the two.

At this point, the boy's back was to Inuyasha. The hanyou walked up behind him and gripped his shoulder firmly, pulling him away from Kagome. Her spun him around and then stared directly into his fearful eyes.

"Deme…"

Inuyasha cast a concerned glance at Kagome, one that she met with wide, shocked eyes.

"Inuyasha," she cooed softly, gently removing his hand from the boy's shoulder. "It's okay."

The boy jumped back slightly, his eyes still wide with terror.

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha, Hojo. Hojo, Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" Hojo asked with a puzzled expression, "That's a weird na-"

Before he could finish his word, a deep growl had rose in Inuyasha's throat. It was obvious that the message had been clear enough, because without another word, Hojo had waved a quick goodbye to Kagome and jetted off.

"Feh," the hanyou snorted, flicking his hair in the direction of the boy.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said softly, "Arigato."

Inuyasha turned to meet the girl's gaze and smiled calmly. "Keh. He was asking for it."

Without another word, Kagome had thrown herself at Inuyasha, pulling him into a warm hug. The hanyou blushed slightly, and tentative placed his arms around her small frame.

Kagome stared up at Inuyasha, a playful flicker of amusement glimmering in her brown eyes. She pulled back a bit and grabbed Inuyasha's hand. "Come on," she said, pulling him into the mass of people. "Let's teach you how to dance."

And Tolo went on as such. All through the night, Kagome tried to teach Inuyasha _her_ dance steps, which were quite different from her mother's. Inuyasha watched with a blush on his cheeks as the girl waved her arms in the air, moving them in random patterns as her body twisted and moved to the music.

Eventually, Inuyasha found himself dancing along with the girl. She had laughed softly at his antics as he had tried to match her dance moves and had failed miserably.

But, despite the confusion, despite Inuyasha's inability to dance, he found that he was actually having fun. His amber eyes twinkled playfully as the girl laughed.

And as the night progressed, Inuyasha and Kagome found that they were having more and more fun by the minute. And to Inuyasha's amusement, several people had approached them as they danced, inquiring to the hanyou's ears and silver hair. Inuyasha had beamed with pride at their comments. Nobody in his time had _ever_ complimented his dog traits.

---

Multicolored lights beamed down on Kagome and Inuyasha, the bright colors bouncing off of the hanyou's silver hair. Kagome grinned as she danced. This was exactly what she had expected. No, it was _better _than she had expected. And not only was she having the time of her life, but Inuyasha seemed to be having a good time as well.

Kagome smiled brightly at the hanyou's ridiculous dance moves, and was about to make a comment about killing youkai with his dance moves, when a familiar song pricked her human ears. She stopped dancing, lifting her head up so she could hear the music clearly. Her eyes widened.

__

Shit! _Iwao Junko's 'Scarlet.' A slow song._ Kagome bit her bottom lip as the music played. She hadn't anticipated this…

---

Soft music reached Inuyasha's ears, and he stopped dancing. He looked at Kagome, noticing her anxious eyes, and then let his eyes roam over her peers. The surrounding people were slowly breaking off into twos, their arms wrapping around each other as they swayed to the music.

Inuyasha beamed. _Finally!_ He thought, _This is what Kagome's mother taught me to do!_ Still smiling, Inuyasha shifted his gaze back to Kagome. The girl blushed shyly, her head bowed slightly. Inuyasha grinned, prepared to amaze her with his dancing skills.

---

_Shit, shit, shit…_ Kagome had just officially started to freak out, when a clawed hand appeared before her. She looked up into Inuyasha golden eyes with wide, bemused ones. _Does he know how to dance?_ She found herself wondering as she hesitantly took the hand.

Her doubts almost instantly vanished when the hanyou pulled her to him, placing his hand on her waist. She noticed the slightest hint of a blush on his cheeks and smiled warmly.

And, the two danced, swaying to the music and clinging to each other like lifelines. About halfway through the song, Kagome sighed lightly and rested her head against Inuyasha's shoulder, looping an arm around his neck.

---

Inuyasha blushed furiously as Kagome placed her head against his shoulder. A chill ran up and down his spine, sending a multitude of shivers through his already trembling body. His ears flattened against his head as he and Kagome continued to dance.

And soon, Inuyasha found himself wishing that the moment would never end. That the song would keep playing, and they would keep dancing.

Inuyasha sucked in an uneven breath and then blew it out through tight lips as he heard the music nearing an end.

_'Tatoe tookute mo kitto tadoritsukeru tsuyoku shinjite'ta_

ano hi no watashi ga ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru…'

The last line rang in Inuyasha's ears as he and Kagome parted. His arms fell lifelessly to his sides, feeling cold and lonely when they weren't wrapped around Kagome.

A tugging at his hand alerted the hanyou to look back at Kagome, who still stood before him, smiling sweetly.

"Let's go, Inuyasha," she said softly.

"Nani?" Inuyasha asked as they made their way to the door. "Is it over already?"

"Hai," Kagome said with a gentle nod of her head. "For us it is."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side. Had he done something wrong; something to offend her? Maybe he had gone too far when the boy had tried to dance with her…?

Anxious thoughts swarmed about in Inuyasha's mind as the two found their way out of the school. The cool, winter air hit them like a sack of bricks, wrapping around them and lapping at their heated faces.

Inuyasha breathed a sigh, inhaling the sweet night air. He turned hesitantly towards Kagome, who was now lifting her head to the sky, smiling softly. The girl's gaze shifted, and she now stared in Inuyasha's eyes, sending more shivers through the hanyou's body.

The girl smiled and wrapped her small hand around Inuyasha's. She smiled warmly as the hanyou blushed deeply. "Come on."

---

The two walked in silence, the peace between them seeming sacred. A gentle breeze swept through the empty street, and Kagome found herself shivering. Her shivers came to an abrupt stop, however, when she felt a warm jacket being placed around her shoulders.

Brown eyes widened and looked to the hanyou at Kagome's side. Inuyasha offered a quirky smile.

"Baka," he said with a grin.

Kagome smiled back. "Arigato, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha snorted his response, and the two continued walking. A nearby streetlamp cast a ray of light on the couple, the golden beams making Inuyasha's hair shine brilliantly.

After another silent walk, Inuyasha and Kagome found their way to a park. The semi-wooded area was virtually empty, with only a few night owls hanging around the benches.

Kagome stopped walking and turned her head, smiling gratefully at Inuyasha. "Arigato, Inuyasha," she said. "Thank you for coming with me."

Inuyasha blushed, but shrugged off the thank you. "Keh, it's not like it was a big deal or anything." He trotted ahead of Kagome, bounding down some concrete steps.

Kagome stood at the top of the steps, smiling down at the hanyou. "It was to me."

The girl padded down the steps, her dress flowing around her like black waves. But, once again, she lost her footing, and was sent flying forward. Inuyasha quickly leapt to her, catching her in his arms.

"Baka," he said, still holding her.

Kagome slowly raised her head, revealing a delicate blush on her cheeks. Her brown eyes were wide with wonder as they stared into the hanyou's golden orbs. Inuyasha found himself blushing as well, wondering why he was still holding onto Kagome in the first place.

But, neither of the two moved an inch. They just stared into each other's eyes, still caught in a rough embrace.

"Inuyasha…"

And then Inuyasha realized why he was still holding her. He realized why he had kept her at his side all of this time; why he had wanted her to stay near.

Inuyasha leaned down and captured Kagome's lips with his in a soft kiss. His ears flattened against his head as he silently prayed that Kagome wouldn't reject the brazen act.

But, she didn't. She stayed with him, her lips caressing his in their very first kiss.

---

_What's happening…? Is this real? _Kagome couldn't help but revel in the idea that this was just a dream, just some cruel fantasy.

But, it was real. Their kiss was as real as the air around them, as real as the moon that shone above.

Kagome found herself wrapping her arms around Inuyasha's neck, deepening the kiss. She felt heat growing in her cheeks, and let her eyes fall closed.

Time stood still. Kagome didn't know how long they stayed in the embrace, but it felt like her first breath of air; cool, refreshing, life-altering. She felt Inuyasha's lips leave hers as he pulled away, his cheeks flushed, his ears pressed back.

"G-gomen," he mumbled, bowing his head shamefully.

"Inuyasha…"

The hanyou pulled back even more, averting his golden eyes from Kagome's face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I just-"

"Inuyasha."

Inuyasha finally lifted his head.

Kagome smiled softly, padding up to Inuyasha and wrapping her arms around his neck. She let her head fall against his chest and sighed with contentment, her eyes closing lazily. She could feel Inuyasha's unease; she could hear his heart hammering in his chest. A small smile appeared on the girl's lips, and she murmured something almost inaudible. Something sweet; something that would determine what she felt for Inuyasha; something that would give Inuyasha the response he was looking for…

"Dance with me, Inuyasha."

.-.-.

Author's notes: Fin! The End! Owari! It's over! ::grins:: I'd like to say thank you all for reading and reviewing my story, especially to those of you that saw it through to the end. It really does mean a lot to me that my first multi-chapter story did well. Once again, thank you all, and I'll see you in _Here Without You_! Bye!

Beta's notes: I admit, it is kind of corny, but there are two corny's in this world. The bad corny and the adorable corny! This was _totally_ a cute corny! An adorable corny! I wuved it, and if you rewrite it I shall slaughter you and make you feel pain. Bwhaa. Bwhaa….bwhaa…--;


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